A Touch of Winter
by Comet96
Summary: Effie Stark seems to have found herself on the run with the one and only James 'Bucky' Barnes who's just discovered his true identity years after being The Winter Soldier. Hiding from her dad and on the run from Steve, can Effie survive living with Bucky or will she give in to these feelings that seem to be blooming? And why does Bucky look at her like she's edible? Bucky/OC
1. Chapter 1

**So, it seems I've done it again. I know I shouldn't start a new story when I need to finish the ones I already have, but this one's been chasing me around for months and I've finally given in.**

 **This one's a Bucky/OC fanfiction - Most of you would have guessed that from the title. I do hope you like the story - my idea is from a dream that haunts me almost every night that it's driven me to write it. I'm actually enjoying it at the moment and it's less of a chore and more for fun that I'm writing.**

 **Sometimes I feel like I have to write a new chapter frequently to keep my readers happy, but for most of my fanfictions, I actually write them because I couldn't find the story I'm writing on fanfiction to read and felt obliged to write it so I can read it - does anyone else do that?**

 **Right, I'mblabbingg now. Bucky isn't in the story till the next chapter but it's going to be a couple of chapter before any Bucky-Oc interaction so please be patient with me.**

 **Please enjoy xx**

* * *

"Can you explain to me why I'm here?" I asked, looking at the two people in front of me.

I knew them, I had known them for a couple of years now, but I never suspected they'd kidnap and hold me against my will.

"Look, Effie, we need your help," the man started only to be cut off by my snort.

"If you need my help, Steve, why am I tied up?" I asked him, finding it hard to believe that Captain America needed my help. Actually, it wasn't too hard to believe considering who my father was, but I never thought Captain freaking America would kidnap and tie me up.

"That's my doing," Natasha said, crouching in front of me and untying my legs. "I didn't know if we could trust you."

"Because of the whole Hydra thing," I said, knowing that's why she'd be freaking out.

"How do you know about that?" they both asked, growing tense as they glanced at each other. I rolled my eyes and would have smacked myself in the face if my hands were free.

"I work for Maria, remember?" I said, supplying them with my answer. Though, to be honest, Maria would never tell me anything about Hydra being Shield. I figured that out on my own.

"Yeah, but I doubt she knew anything about it until Fury found out," Nat replied, looking at me with her suspicious eyes. It was always so hard for her to be trusting. "How did you know?"

"Maria called me on Thursday, she said we were going to meet Nick at a rendezvous point, but neither of them turned up. I figured something was wrong, so I tried calling them. There was no answer, so I hacked into the system and ended up hitting a firewall," I explained hoping it would be enough for them to understand. Nat seemed to get me, but Steve was looking confused.

"You broke down the system from the inside and discovered Hydra in control," Nat continued, and Steve nodded as if it made sense. "What else did you see?"

"Something about, umm, what was it," I hissed closing my eyes and trying to remember the coding I saw. My fingers tapped on the arms of the chairs as I went over the algorithm I had used to break down the firewall. "Project Insight," I told them as the plans became clear in my mind. I opened my eyes seeing the uneasy looks on their faces.

"What can you tell us about Project Insight?" Steve asked, a stern look crossing his face.

"If you untie me I can show you. I've had Frankie decoding and copying everything on the system since Thursday," I said, nodding to the laptop on the bed.

"Who's Frankie?" Steve asked, looking around the room as if waiting for someone to step out.

" _It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain Rogers,_ " a smooth, female, Irish voice said from my phone on the bed. Steve widened his eyes a little before glancing at Nat.

"She's my version of Jarvis," I explained, giving Nat a smirk as she rolled her eyes. "She does everything for me. Frankie, can you show us everything on Project Insight, please."

" _Of course, Miss Stark, obtaining everything on Project Insight,_ " Frankie said, and images blew up from my phone projecting around the hotel room.

"I can show you what I've found if you untie me," I muttered looking between them both. Nat scoffed rising to her feet and walking over to one of the holograms.

"You untied yourself three minutes ago," she muttered, her focus on the hologram of three helicarriers.

Steve looked at me and lowered his hands to the binding at my wrist to find that I had untied myself. I gave him a cheeky smile and made my way to Natasha.

"You do know what that is right?" I asked, pointing to a screen that was covering America in red spots until almost half of it was covered in red.

"I'm guessing we're not going to like the answer," Steve supplied as he joined us.

"You're not and when I tell you, you're going to want to find someone who can help us."

"You're going to help?" Steve asked, surprise coating his face as his nose wrinkled in confusion.

"You need my help and I'm going to give it to you. Though I would prefer it if there was someone that could help us," I grumbled, pulling my hair into a ponytail as I moved away from them and started packing my things into my backpack.

"I think I know someone," Steve said, exchanging a look with Nat before turning to face me. I nodded, grabbing my laptop and shoving it into my pack before picking up my phone. The holograms disappeared, and I glanced down at my phone, seeing a message from Frankie.

 _Comms online._

"Here," I said as I fumbled with my pack and pulled out a silver case the size of my hand. I unzipped it, revealing a dozen comms, similar to the ones they've used before, only smaller. "I've been working on these for a while, Frankie's installed online if you need to ask her anything she'll reply, and we can stay in contact as well." I handed them a comm each before slipping one in my ear. Giving them a smile, I tapped my phone, sending Frankie a thumbs up in reply. "They're undetectable to the human eye when implanted."

" _It's an honour working with you, Captain,_ " Frankie said, alerting Steve and Natasha that she was online and ready to comply.

"Shall we head out?" I asked, pulling on my jacket and slipping my bag over my shoulder.

* * *

Steve was driving my car as he was the only one that knew where we were going. Nat was leaning against the passenger door, her body was facing Steve, but she was looking at me as I pulled out my tablet and pulled up the files. I handed the tablet to her as I pulled out my phone flicking through the same files Nat was.

"How did you find me?" I asked, glancing at Nat before flicking my eyes back to my phone. Frankie was hacking into the Shield files – should I still call them Shield? Perhaps I should just refer to them as Hydra?

"I know your hideouts, it didn't take me long find you," Nat said, keeping her eyes on the tablet.

"We saw you entering your room after coming back from the vending machine," Steve added, a smile on his lips as he shared another look with Nat.

If I didn't know better, I would have thought there was something going on with them, but I knew it was because they thought they only had each other to rely on.

"I'll remember that for next time," I mumbled, glancing up when Steve came to a stop. We were on a busy street and Steve was parking in a grocery store car park, so I assumed we'd be walking the rest of the way to wherever it was we were going.

"Are you sure we can trust this guy?" Nat asked, and I was sure she knew who Steve was taking us to.

"I wouldn't take us there if I didn't trust him," Steve replied, pulling my keys out of the engine. "Are you ready? We'll have to dodge the cameras." I glanced out the window flicking my eyes between all the cameras on the street.

"I can solve that for us," I said, taking the tablet from Nat as she passed it back to me. "Frankie, Operation Clean-Up," I said to her, giving Nat a small smile.

"Operation Clean-Up? Do I even want to know?" Steve asked as we climbed out of the car. He locked it and tossed me the keys.

"I like to stay off the grid, Frankie cleans up all the cameras I can be spotted on, keeps Hydra off my back," I said, slinging my pack over my shoulder following Steve down a side street that led to a nice looking neighborhood.

"It also keeps Tony off her back," Nat added, rolling her eyes as I shot her a shocked look. How did she know about that?

"Yeah, my dad can be kind of annoying at times. I don't need him following me around everywhere because he's worried something will happen," I grumbled, shrugging my shoulders at the look Steve shot me.

"He seems to care about you," he said, a curious look on his face.

"Of course, he cares about me, he's my dad, but I'm nearly twenty-two, I don't need him constantly following me."

"It's good to have someone watching out for you," Steve said, exchanging a look with Nat before taking us around the back of some houses. With the way he was constantly looking at her I was changing my mind about them having a thing together.

"Whatever you say, Captain," I muttered, rolling my eyes. I guess he didn't know what it was like having an overbearing father.

We came up to a glass backdoor and Steve knocked, glancing around to make sure no one was watching. I hope I didn't become as paranoid as these two, I felt I was paranoid enough as it was.

The door slide opened revealing someone I was familiar with. It had been a couple of weeks since I saw him, and it was accidental that I first met him after hacking into the VA files after reading about him in a Shield file. He peeked my interest and I wanted to find out more. I ended up bumping into him while spying on him at one of his meetings.

"Hey man," Sam said, his eyes flashed between us all, a confused look on his face.

"I'm sorry about this, we need a place to lay low," Steve said, a regretful look on his face.

"Everyone we know is trying to kill us," Nat added, and even though I couldn't see her face I knew she was probably giving him puppy dog eyes.

"Not everyone." Sam opened the door which Steve took as an invitation to enter.

* * *

"Long time no see, Short Stack," Sam greeted when Steve and Nat went off to clean up. I smiled at him, shaking my head at his nickname.

"I missed you too, Sammie," I laughed bringing him into a hug. He pulled back, his hands resting on my shoulders as he frowned at me. Oh God, was he giving me the disproving older brother look?

"Is this what you've been doing? Hanging out with Captain America and getting yourself on the most wanted list?" he asked, moving away from me and pulling a newspaper from his breakfast bar.

I took the newspaper from him and looked at the front cover where a large picture of Steve was plastered on the front. The words fugitive where massive under his photo.

 _Saturday 11_ _th,_ _January 2014 – Captain America a fugitive to the USA. Extremely dangerous._

"Huh, would you look at that," I muttered, smiling at the look on Sam's face. "Okay, maybe this isn't something to laugh at." I paused glancing at the bedroom door where I could hear Nat and Steve talking. "We're gonna need your help Bird Boy."

* * *

I was waiting on the roof for Steve and Natasha to appear with Sitwell. I wasn't one for the big dramatic introductions, so I thought I'd just hang back. I was on the last round of my crossword game when Steve kicked Sitwell through the door, the man stumbling back and falling to the floor as he tried to get away from the two ex-Shield agents.

I followed behind them as they backed Sitwell to the edge of the roof, and I felt a little guilty pleasure at the scared look on his face. Steve said something to him, but the look of horror on Sitwell's face was too amusing to be paying attention to Steve – plus I was sure I already knew what Steve was saying.

"Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof?" Sitwell asked, a smirk on his face. Oh, he would not be smug about this if he knew what was about to happen. "'Cause it's really not your style, Rogers."

"You're right," Steve replied, taking his hands off Sitwell. "It's hers," he added and quickly moved to the side as Natasha kicked him off the roof.

Sitwell's scream made me chuckle which caused Steve to frown at me. I think he was worse than my dad, always seemed so disapproving of something.

"Wait. What about that girl from Accounting, Laura … Lisa—"

"Lillian. Lip piercing, right?" Steve cut her off obviously knowing who Nat was going on about. Everyone knew Lillian from accounting. She had a massive crush on Steve.

"Yeah, she's cute," Nat said, giving him a smile as he looked to be thinking it over.

"I'm not sure he'd go for her," I mumbled, ignoring the fact that _they_ were ignoring me.

"Yeah. I'm not ready for that," Steve said, glancing over to the edge of the roof as we could hear Sitwell as Sam flew him up.

"Told you," I said to Nat as Sam dropped Sitwell in the middle of the roof. Steve made his way to Sitwell, Nat flanking him on his right and me on his left. I hadn't done much fieldwork, but this seemed a hell of a lot more fun than some of the missions I'd read. I was waiting for the pain that was due to come.

"Zola's algorithm is a program … for choosing Insight's targets," Sitwell said, raising his hand up to stop Steve from hurting him.

"What targets?" Steve asked, his jaw clenched tight. We kind of knew what targets considering I hacked into the database. Well, we sort of knew, it didn't actually tell us who they were targeting.

"You!" that was obvious. "A TV anchor in Cairo, the Under Secretary of Defence, a high school valedictorian in Iowa City, Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to Hydra. Now, or in the future." In the future? What was that meant to mean? I shared an uncertain look with Sam, unsure of what Sitwell was getting at. None of this was on the data I hacked.

"In the future? How could it know?"

"How could it not? The 21st century is a digital book. Zola taught Hydra how to read it." He was definitely sounding smug now. I wanted to punch him in the face. "Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, emails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores!" Defo a little bit smug. Would Steve notice if I hit him? "Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future.

"And what then?" Sitwell ignored him, a look of pure shock on his face as he realized what he just told us.

"Oh, my God. Pierce is gonna kill me." Yeah, well Pierce is gonna have to get in line, buddy.

"What then?" Steve pressed, and I was really considering hitting Sitwell. Perhaps Steve would see it as me helping him get the truth.

"Then the Insight helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time."

Wow. Was not expecting that. Well, considering I saw the map of Project Insight I was expecting it, I just wasn't expecting it to be real. And neither was Natasha as she bit her lip in what I think looked like defeat.

This wasn't going to plan.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**I was meant to mention this in the first chapter, but I'm sorry for any mistakes made and seen. I swear I do proofread my work but I always seem to miss some which annoys the hell out of me.**

 **I thought I'd upload the second chapter for you, but you'll have to wait for the third chapter as I'm still working on it.**

 **Have fun reading - Plus, Bucky's in this chapter xx Yay xx**

* * *

"Am I on the list?" I asked Sitwell as I sat between him and Nat in the back of my car. Steve had volunteered my car even though Sam said he didn't mind using his. And here we are, Sam driving, Steve sitting passenger and here I am, stuck between an ex-assassin and a douchebag.

"You were," Sitwell muttered, quickly glancing out the window as Nat leaned over me to look at him.

"She was?" Nat inquired, her eyebrows furrowing as she glanced at me and then to Sitwell. Steve was also listening, his head turned to us as he waited for an answer.

"Pierce took her off the list," Sitwell said, not turning to face any of us. I bet it was so we couldn't see his face.

"Why?"

"Yes, why?" I muttered, feeling my chest tighten at the thought of Pierce wanting anything to do with me.

"Hydra doesn't like leaks?" Sitwell finally said, leaning towards Sam as if he'd be able to protect him.

"Then why don't you try sticking a cork in it?"

"Insights launching in sixteen hours. We're cutting it a little bit close here," Nat said, leaning over to glance at Steve.

"I've got Frankie working on building firewalls. Even if they try to launch it'll take them an hour or two to break through," I muttered knowing it wasn't much for us. At least we had an extra hour or two to stop them. "It's not much but it gives us a little extra time."

"I know. We'll use him to bypass the DNA scans and access the helicarriers directly," Steve said, sending me a grateful smile. It's not me he needed to thank.

"What? Are you crazy? That's a terrible, terrible idea." A thump on the roof notified us of someone before they broke the window and pulled Sitwell out, throwing him into the oncoming traffic.

I watch with wide eyes as a truck took him out. I'm guessing he's dead. There's no way he'd survive that.

Nat pushed me out of the middle seat and in time too because the man above us started shooting. I shrunk down between the gap behind Sam's chair as Nat flipped onto Steve's lap.

Two more shots were fired before the car came to a screeching stop. Glancing up at the roof I was mortified that my poor baby had been destroyed.

"We should have taken Sam's car," I grumbled, rising slowly to peek out the front window.

There was a man dressed all in black, most of his face covered and what looked to be a metal arm where his left one should be. Was this the man that killed Fury? Something large crashing into the back of us had my head snapping on the back of Sam's chair. Bringing my hand to my bloodied lips, I sunk back between the seats curling in on myself.

I wish I stayed in that hotel room now.

I let out a scream as something landed on the roof again, showering me with glass from the already broken window. I wanted to look up, I really did but I was shaking so fiercely I knew I couldn't move.

"Shit!" Sam swore, and I glanced up only to find the man in black leaping onto the car behind us as Nat or Steve fired shots after him.

The car was swerving, and I felt my stomach lurch as we went up on the side, almost tipping over.

"Hang on," Steve shouted and did something before the car flew in the air. I saw Steve, Nat, and Sam flying out of the car before it hit back down hard and started tumbling over countless times before coming to a standstill.

My heart was in my throat as I stayed as still as possible not wanting to move.

Nothing felt broken, but I ached all over. I should have been dead, right? That should have killed me. Fumbling in my seat, I slipped out, sliding through the bent and broken window.

Glancing up, I saw the man in black firing a large gun at the others and quickly crawled to hide behind the destroyed car. What was I supposed to do?

"Frankie, what do I do?" I asked, knowing she'd know.

" _Stay where you are, Ma'am, I'm calculating the situation,_ " Frankie replied, her voice containing a stern edge to it. I felt like a child being scolded.

Peeking around the front of the destroyed car, I saw Sam hiding behind a car and Nat went over the other side of the barrier and out of my sight. Guns went off again and I was tempted to cover my ears. No one told you how loud guns were.

Turning to face the others as they came closer to me, I watched as the man in black walked to the edge of the bridge and glanced down only to be shot at. I shifted back into the car as the other men stepped into view, but I kept my eyes on the man in black as he pulled off his goggles/visor things.

His eyes met mine and he rose to his feet and leaned over the edge of the bridge firing an endless amount of shots. Was Nat down there? Who was down there?

The men at his side kept firing but he stopped and seemed to be watching. He said something to the other men, his voice muffled but they seemed to understand him as they ran off. The man glanced back at me before jumping over the edge of the bridge and out of my view.

Did he just jump off a bridge?

Slowly I crawled out of the car and hesitantly got to my feet making sure I stayed hidden behind my destroyed car. I watched as four men slammed something into the cars next to the bridge and jumped over the edge, wires keeping them from falling.

The sound of rapid gunfire alerted me to the horrors that could only be pictured under the bridge. Didn't they care about civilians? How many people were going to just hurt because of them?

Sam came into my sight then, sneaking up behind another guy and quickly sending him over the bridge. I gagged at the thought of hitting the floor at that impact and shivered. I started making my way towards Sam as he started firing the gun he found down below.

"Go! I got this!" he shouted, and I assumed he was talking to either Nat or Steve. He fired off a few more rounds before stopping.

"Sammie," I called gaining his attention. His eyes widened at the sight of me, but he quickly stepped away from the edge and brought me into a hug.

"Effie, thank God. I thought you died," he whispered, pulling away and glanced behind us.

Right, we were in a big fight.

"I'm fine, just a bit sore. You should probably find your suit and I'll get down there and find Nat," I said, running my hand over my mouth knowing I probably had blood covering it.

"You're good? You'll be okay?" he asked, sounding concerned. He probably didn't want me going down there.

"I know I acted like a baby in the car, but I', trained for this, Sam. I'll be fine," I assured him, giving him a nod before rushing over to the car the others turned up in. I'm sure I could find something useful in there.

Fumbling with the door, I opened it to find a weapons bag on the chair and couldn't help but feel a little smug. Pulling the bag closer I grabbed two pistols, shoving one in my boot and placing the other on the chair. I dug around, my hands landing on what looked like grenades. Huh, they should come in handy. I slide one in each of my jacket pockets before picking up the gun and grabbing a grappling hook.

This is one way of getting off the bridge.

"Frankie, I think it's time we used the lenses," I muttered, as I slammed the hook into one of the cars and climbed up onto the edge of the bridge. "It's a lot higher than I thought."

" _Lenses turning on, Ma'am, analysis the area,_ " Frankie said and as soon as she spoke my vision lit up with coding and holographic images.

This time as I glanced down a calculation of the drop became visible in my sight. I bit my lip and jumped over the edge before I could change my mind. Tucking my feet under me, I let go of the rope when I was close enough to the ground and did a tuck and roll, coming safely to my feet.

" _Agent Romanoff located,_ " Frankie announced and lit up a pathway for me to follow. I with a nod, I grabbed the pistol and followed the glowing lines that would lead me to Nat.

Red blobs lit up in the corner of my right side and I ducked behind a turned over bus. Peering to the side, I crept along the side of the bus, watching as the red blob hovered on the other side of the bus.

"Show me," I whispered, pressing my back to the bus and watching as a small screen appeared in front of me, showing me the man that stood on the other side of the bus. The street looked clear around him, indicating that he was alone. If I snuck around his left side, he'd never see me coming.

Following through on my thought, I crept around the bus, coming out and shooting at the man, taking him down on my third shot. I was a bit rusty, or I was still in shock from the car accident. It wouldn't normally take me three bullets to take someone out.

"Frankie, I'm gonna run for Nat, keep an eye out for the bad guys and keep me posted," I called to her, running down the street after the glowing lines on the floor.

If someone else could see what I'm seeing, it'd look like some advanced video game.

" _I'll keep an eye out for the bad guys, Ma'am,_ " Frankie answered. A blue figure appeared and above it hovered a heart rate, the pulse beating very fast. What is that? Wait, I know what that is. Who is it? " _It seems Agent Romanoff is injured, Ma'am. Should I call for an ambulance?_ "

"No ambulances for Nat, Frankie, we're kind of in the middle of a death match," I said, ducking behind a car as the man in black appeared again. Only this time he was fighting Steve. And it looked like Steve was losing. "Umm, perhaps alert the authorities to the destruction on the highway and under the bridge? Call ambulances for those that need it."

" _Of course, Ma'am. Agent Romanoff is on your left behind the dark blue truck._ "

"I got her, thank you," I grumbled, rushing over to Nat. she was holding her shoulder, blood seeping through her fingers. She glanced up at me as I cupped her face, taking note of her eyes.

" _No concussion – losing blood,_ " Frankie said as a list of everything wrong with Nat popped up next to her. Swiping it away with my hand, I stood back up and glanced at Steve fighting the man. " _Assailant is known as The Winter Soldier."_ So that was who he was.

"Where's Steve?" Nat asked, breathing heavily as she hunched over trying to reduce the pain.

"Getting his butt kicked by The Winter Soldier," I told her, turning and crouching in front of her.

"What's up with your eyes?"

"I'll explain later. Umm, should we do something to help Steve?" I asked her, reaching down to help her stand.

"Yeah, follow me," she replied, leading me over to a silver SUV where there was a launcher of some type lying on the floor. I guess it belonged to The Winter Soldier. She made her way around the side of the car and we saw Sam flying in and kicking the Soldier away from Steve.

The Soldier rose to his feet quickly and raised his gun, aiming at Steve. It was then that Nat fired the launcher and a big silver thing flew at the Soldier, blowing up the car next to him.

I turned to Nat as she leaned against the car, putting most of her weight on her right side as he slumped over.

"We need to get out of here," I grumbled, glancing around and trying to find a way out. My sight was flashing with incoming red from all directions and I sighed knowing we'd been caught. "Fuck."

Large black cars came to a stop and what looked like an army came charging at us, ordering us to get on our knees. Steve was the only one that listened, but Sam rose his hands and rested them on his head as three men took him away to an SUV.

Rough hands on my arms started pulling me away from Nat but I didn't bother struggling as she was also dragged to the same SUV as Sam. I was shoved inside as well, sitting opposite Sam.

* * *

"It was him," Steve said reminding us of who he was talking about. "He looked right at me like he didn't even know me." I was finding it hard to believe that The Winter Soldier was Bucky Barnes, but more unexplainable things had been heard of. Hell, Steve was here after being on ice for seventy-odd-years.

How is that even possible? It was, like, seventy-years ago," Sam argued finding it hard to believe the man we were just fighting was Steve's best friend.

"Zola. Bucky's whole unit was captured in '43." At Steve's words, I zoned out, focusing on Sam's shirt as file after file appeared in front of me and I started reading then info Hydra had on The Winter Soldier, or Bucky, whatever his name was.

It was interesting what was here, and Frankie was already translating everything in Russian I couldn't understand. It sometimes amazed me what Frankie could do, but then again dad had created her to be like Jarvis and I did teak her a bit.

My attention was pulled away as one of the guards brought their electric baton up in warning and I glanced over just as they attacked the guard next to them. The guard fell from their chair and landed at my feet.

Glancing back at the guard, I smiled when Maria was revealed under the large helmet.

"That thing was squeezing my brain," she said, causing me to laugh. Here we were thinking we were about to die and she just casually reveals herself like that. She glanced Steve before looking at Sam and then turning back to Steve. "Who is this guy?"

* * *

No one said anything as Maria drove us somewhere in another SUV. We'd managed to escape using a mouse trap device, cutting through the bottom of the van and escaping through the sewers.

The car came to a stop just outside what looked like a dam power plant and we quickly left the car, Sam and Steve helping Nat as I followed behind Maria. I guess this was a hidden Shield base. I wish someone would have told me this was here. So much for the trust.

"GSW. She's lost at least a pint," Maria called as a man came running towards us.

"Maybe two," Sam called out, his concern for Nat clear in his tone.

"Let me take her," the man said, his records came up next to him, alerting me to the fact that he was a doctor.

"She'll want to see him first," Maria said, confusing us all. Who? Who would Nat want to see first?

We followed Maria down the hall and into a room where a man on a bed lay, his eyes opening and head lifting when he saw us. Fury. So, he wasn't dead. I knew it would have taken more than a few bullets to finish him off.

"About damn time," he greeted in his usual blunt tone.

The doctor pulled Nat over to a chair started getting to work on her shoulder while Maria took my shoulder in her hand and started wiping the blood from my chin and bruised lip.

"Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, and one hell of a headache," Nick said, listing off his injuries.

Frankie scanned him over, all his injuries highlighting and showing me their healing process. He was lucky to be alive, I had known people die from lesser injuries.

"Don't forget your collapsed lung," the doctor added just as it popped up on Frankie's list.

"Let's not forget that, but otherwise, I'm good," Nick said his face neutral as he rested back against the pillows.

"They cut you open. Your heart stopped," Nat argued, a look of annoyance and disbelief on her face. Nick answered her but I was distracted by a picture of my dad flashing in front of me. Oh God, he's calling me.

Glancing at Maria, I bit my lip before leaving them and taking the call from my dad.

"Take the call, Frankie," I muttered knowing why he was calling.

"Effie are you alright?" Dad asked, the worry evident in his voice.

"I didn't know you cared so much, Dad," I teased wanting him to relax and not stress out.

"I just watched my daughter being arrested for being a fugitive. Can you explain that to me?"

"Umm, I can't right now, I'm a bit busy," I told him, glancing over my shoulder at the others. It looked like they were moving away from the bed and the doctor was helping Nick with something. "I'll get Frankie to send you the details later. I love you, Daddy, but I gotta go." Hanging up, I made my way over to the others as they gathered around a table, waiting for Nick to join them.

The table was covered with folders and laptops, the screens covered in code. I knew Frankie was probably downloading it all and couldn't help but feel smug. She was amazing.

Maria handed me a bottle of water and a pack of cookies. Why did they cookies biscuits here? I bet it was Nick that liked eating them. I fiddled with my cookie as Nick joined us and Maria placed a file in front of him.

"This man declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility." He was talking about Pierce, someone he had worked with for years. "See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues."

"We have to stop the launch," Nat said, pointing out the obvious. Of course we had to stop it. We couldn't let all those people die for something so stupid.

"I don't think the Council's accepting my calls anymore," Nick said pulling open a black case revealing three data chips, or better known and targeting blades.

"What's that?" Sam asked, looking a little unsure as he glanced between the case and Steve.

"Once the helicarriers reach 3,000 feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites, becoming fully weaponized," Maria answered, turning a laptop around so he could see a simulation. It was similar to what I had shown Nat and Steve earlier today.

"We need to breach those carriers and replace their targeting blades with our own," Nick went on, actually explaining to Sam what the chips were.

"One or two won't cut it. We need to link all three carriers for this to work because if even one of those ships remains operational, a whole lot of people are gonna die." I loved how blunt Maria could be sometimes. I reckon it's why Nick has her as his second in command, so was like him in so many ways.

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers id Hydra. We have to get past them, insert the server blades. And maybe, just maybe we can salvage what's left—"

"We're not salvaging anything," Steve snapped, cutting Nick off. "We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick. We're taking down Shield."  
"Shield had nothing to do with this," Nick argues but Steve wasn't having it.

"You gave me a mission. This is how it ends." There was something hot about the way Steve was taking charge. "Shield had been compromised. You said so yourself. Hydra grew right under your nose and nobody noticed." He had a point there. How long had Hydra been within Shield polluting and overtaking?

"Why do you think we're meeting in his cave? I noticed." It was like a game of tennis with these two. Steve. Nick. Steve. Nick. Someone was going to win, and I had a feeling it wasn't going to be Nick.

"How many paid the price before you did?" Ouch, that's a low blow from the Captain.

I could tell it hurt Nick as he looked away and glanced at Maria. I did think Steve was being a little harsh but if his words got him destroying Hydra then who was I to complain?

"Look, I didn't know about Barnes," Nick said, and it made me realize what Steve was actually saying. He blamed Nick for Bucky being captured and used.

"Even if you had, would you have told me?" And Steve keeps hitting it on the head. God, I never want to be in a fight with Steve; verbal or physical. "Or would you have compartmentalized that, too? Shield, Hydra, it all goes."

"He's right," Maria input, causing Nick to look at her. Nick glanced over at Nat, but she gave him a look which we took to mean she agreed with Steve. Nick then looked at Sam.

"Don't look at me, I do what he does just slower," Sam answered making it clear whose side he was on.

"Well," Nick said, taking in a deep breath and leaning back in his chair. His eyes flicked to me and I gave him a small nod. It needed to be done. Steve was right. "It looks like you're giving the orders now, Captain."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**So, this one is a little long, but I'm hoping you can keep up with the third section - I'm not sure if it's a little jumping or if it makes sense. Let me know and I can change it if it needs to be changed.**

 **Sorry for any mistakes spotted - there's always one.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter xx**

* * *

"Are you going to tell me what's up with your eyes?" Nat asked as we sat at the table. I was going over the data, trying to help Frankie build some walls. "They're flashing a whitey-blue around the edges."

"I've got contacts implanted, it's like dad's system in his suits. I can see everything decoded and analyzed in front of me. It's a bit like my phone when I showed you the holograms this morning," I told her, typing away on my laptop. Maria had managed to grab one of my go-packs before she came here.

It had a laptop, tablet, and phone with Frankie installed with all my apps. It was easier for me to code as it had all my algorithms implanted which helped with the hacking and coding.

"Did you do that?" she asked, causing Sam to lean on the table to peer at my eyes.

"Yeah, it helps me when I'm hacking and coding," I muttered, glancing up at them both. Sam was looking at me with a weirded out look on his face.

"I suppose that makes you dangerous, it would explain why you were on the list," Nat said.

"But it doesn't explain why Pierce took me off it," I grumbled, trying to break down a wall so I can find out what Hydra had on me.

"I think I know why," Nick announced, taking our attention. I frowned at him, not understanding why he would know. "Your mother is Pierce's daughter. You're his granddaughter."

"What? That's not possible," I muttered, stopping my hacking as I looked at Fury in disbelief.

"He's always had a soft spot for you and I wanted to know why. Even before you joined Shield he seemed to know a lot about you," Nick said.

"Well, a lot of people know a lot about me. My dad's Tony Stark, I'm not exactly a hidden fact." This couldn't be true. Why would dad hide this from me? "Dad would have told me."

"Not if he didn't know."

"So my mom lied to him?"

"She went by her mother's maiden name, Winters, I believe? I doubt Tony knew who she was or that it was planned for her to fall pregnant with you," Nick said, causing me to choke in disbelief.

"What?" Nick slid a tablet to me and I took it with shaking hands.

 _Project Recruit T. Stark_

 _Roseanna Pierce will undergo her mission of recruiting Tony Stark to Hydra. She's decided to undergo this task by trapping him in a relationship by getting pregnant with his child._

 _She has one year to accomplish this mission or Hydra will send in the Asset._

 _Alexander Pierce has agreed to the terms and encourages his daughter to complete her mission._

 _Doctors will be helping by implanting Roseanne with TS98OV – a supplement that allows the test subject to be ovulating continuously until she falls pregnant._

 _Project Recruit T. Stark – Successful._

 _Roseanne conceived during the first months of the mission and is due April 5th, 1992._

 _Project Recruit T. Stark – Failed._

 _Roseanne died during childbirth and could not recruit Tony Stark. Tony Stark had taken custody of the child and had no contact with Hydra._

 _Mission failed._

 _Possibly send in the Asset to retrieve the child at Pierce's orders._

There was more but I couldn't read on.

"This can't be real," I whispered, dropping the files and letting Nat pick them up. There was no point keeping it from her, she already heard what Nick said. "Why would she do that?"

"It was her mission and she believed it was meant to be done," Nick answered, shrugging as if he couldn't think of anything else.

"That means I'm a product of Hydra," I stated, feeling sick at the thought. It felt like my whole life was a lie.

"You're not," Nick argued, a stern look on his face. "You're a good person, a good agent. You don't belong to Hydra."

"But she didn't even love me. I was just a mission to her." I think that's what hurt the most. That I came to be because of a mission set by Hydra. I wasn't even wanted, I was just a pawn in Hydra's games.

"What's this mean?" Nat asked, pointing to something on the tablet.

 _SS Implant – Giving during stage one and two of the pregnancy._

Taking the tablet from her, I clicked on the section underlined and frowned as new data appeared in front of us.

 _Super Soldier Serum – Roseanne's fetus was implanted with our remodeled version of the Super Soldier Serum during stage one and two of the pregnancy. It already seems to be affecting the fetus, as rapid growth has begun in the last stages of pregnancy._

 _It's believed the baby will arrive a couple of weeks early. It will be interesting to see what else develops from the serum. We believe the baby will be immune to illnesses and will have rapid healing abilities. We do believe the rapid growth will stop after the child is born._

 _More test results to be concluded._

"They gave me the Super Soldier Serum," I muttered, looking at the data that Frankie supplied next to the data on the tablet. "I believe it's the same serum they gave Barnes but not as effective. It says here that I'll be immune to illnesses and have rapid healing abilities."

"And have you ever been ill?" Nick inquired. I know he was doing it to help me understand everything, but I felt like he was seeing something potential from this. Was he seeing me as a weapon?

"Not that I can recall," I muttered, glancing up from the tablet and over to Steve who had been listening quietly. "Do you reckon if I trained I'd be a bit like you?" I asked him, wanting to get the honest truth from someone.

"It worked for Bucky." Steve was right. If this was the same serum used on Bucky, then why should it be different for me? The only difference between us was that I wasn't trained to be an assassin and Bucky was. Bucky had training and I didn't.

"I don't think I want that," I said, rising from the table and walking away. I needed a few minutes by myself, so I can wrap my head around everything.

* * *

"I don't think it's going to make much of a difference," Steve said joining me outside as we watched the sunrise.

Nat and Sam hadn't given me much space throughout the night. It seemed they were worried about me which was sweet, but I wasn't going to do anything stupid. I was bothered about what Hydra had done, they'd manipulated my mother and because of that, she conceived me. While I wanted to blame them, I felt like I couldn't.

While Tony didn't know the means of my conception the way I did, he had never treated me badly. He was a caring father, giving me the love I needed and considering he was my only parent, I never went without love, even with the lifestyle he had.

Pepper had been a massive part of my life, always there for me when Tony wasn't, and I suppose in some way she was a mother to me, but no one could fault Tony for being a bad parent. He'd always been, and amazing father and I don't think that would ever stop.

"What?" I asked Steve, not understanding what he was talking about. I had assumed he was talking about the way Tony would react but from the look on his face, I was guessing that wasn't what he was talking about.

"The serum they used on you, I don't think it's going to make much of a difference to you." At my confused look, Steve gave me a smile and rested his hand on my shoulder. "You've loved almost twenty-two years without it turning your life upside down. Apart from never being ill, I don't see any side effects from the serum."

"I've been thinking about it all night, but I can't ever remember being sick as a child. I do remember breaking my wrist once and the most peculiar thing happened." Steve was waiting for me to go on and I knew how weird it was going to sound because I had never questioned it. "I was about sixteen and had fallen during gymnastics and I broke my wrist. It was painful, and the doctors obviously put a cast on, but I remember it only aching for a week before it felt like normal. When the cast came off and I had my check-up x-ray, there was no sign of a break. The doctors just thought I healed remarkably well, but now I understand that my bones probably healed over due to the serum," I said, leaning against the railing as I looked at the rising sun instead of Steve.

"It was the same for me after I had the serum," Steve said, leaning on the railing next to me as he looked at the rising sun too. "I was a small thing before all this, I suffered from asthma and was sick all the time, but after the serum everything was gone. No more asthma, no more illnesses and I had shot up. People who overlooked me before couldn't keep their eyes off me. It's like I turned into someone else, but I was still me."

"You're trying to tell me that this serum doesn't change who I am, aren't you?" I muttered, laughing at the sheepish look on his face.

"You were amazing before you found out you have the serum in you. You've done amazing things, you made them," Steve said gesturing to my eyes and the contact I'd implanted. "I have no idea how you managed to do it, but you're almost like a walking robot."

"Hey," I snapped, hitting him on the arm. "If anyone's a robot, it's got to be Barnes. He's got the fricking metal arm, I've got some cool scientific contacts." Steve's smile seemed to dim at my mention of Bucky. "Well get him back, Steve. I know you find it hard to believe at the moment, but I swear to you, I'll do anything in my power to help bring him back to you."

"You know, after getting to know Tony and after getting to know you, I keep finding it hard to believe that you're his daughter," he muttered, glancing over to the door as it swung open revealing Sam.

"I think I got all my good traits from Pepper," I joked, resting my hand on his arm and I reached up and placed a kiss on his cheek. "I promise you I'll get Bucky back for you, Steve." Pulling away, I gave him a soft smile before walking towards Sam and leaving the two alone.

It must be about time for us to leave. Frankie had done everything she could to slow down the launch of Project Insight, and it had given us a couple of hours, but if we really wanted to stop it, we'd have to infiltrate Hydra and doing it manually.

"Hey," Nat called coming over and resting her hands on my shoulders. "I was wondering where you got off to. We're getting ready to head out. You coming with or you gonna stay and do your magic from here?"

"It's not magic, Nat, it's just hacking, and you can do it too," I grumbled going her and Maria at a table where Nat was getting into some loose clothes. She wouldn't be wearing them for long anyway.

"I'm nowhere near as good as you, you're like freaky good at it. Plus you've got Frankie to help you," Nat argued as she picked up a gun and started checking it over.

"I've actually got an idea, but I'm not sure you're going to like it."

* * *

I spun on my chair, swiveling around as I looked at the screens laid out in front of me. Against Nat's wishes, I'd convinced Maria to hand over all the laptops they had in the cave and give them to me.

I'd convinced them to let me bunker down in an SUV, laying the seats down in the middle and used it as a sort of desk for all the laptops. My own personal laptop was on the dashboard in front of the passenger's seat, and I was using that as my main base of control, but Frankie was in charge of the six laptops on the back seats.

"Alright, Frankie, we've got to slow them bastards down enough that it helps Maria out," I muttered, turning back round to pull my laptop onto my lap.

" _Of course, Ma'am, it'll be my pleasure._ "

"Did you have to swear?" Steve asked over the commlink, causing me to laugh.

"Chill a bit, Stevie, it's not the 40s anymore, plus we've got more important things going on than you monitoring my language," I said to him, glancing at the laptops behind me. Frankie was making sure that there was a camera always on the others. I could see Steve on one screen, Sam on another, and Nat in her disguise on the third. Maria also had a screen, so I could watch what she was doing, and my tablet was next to her laptop showing me the screen she was hacking into. "It was a nice speech by the way," I added, having just heard his speech about Hydra and Shield. If I ever get married, I want you to be my best man."

"Hey," Sam said, and I glanced at the screen showing him to see him looking annoyed. "Haven't I known you longer than him? Shouldn't I get to be the best man?"

"I thought it was the groom that chose the best man," Maria input a smirk on her face. "Where are you at Sam? Have you planted your blade?"

"Umm, I'm kinda busy, give me a few minutes," he argued, and I could hear how out of breath he sounded. A quick glance at his screen showed me he was fighting against a butt load of missiles.

"Steve? Are you anywhere near with the third blade?" Maria asked him, but all we could hear in his end was fighting.

"I think Stevie's a little busy right now," I said to her, turning back to my laptop and hacking into the mainframe. "Nat, I know you can't reply to me, but I'm starting the upload process, all you need to do is get the Alpha codes to gain access. Once you've got the codes everything shall upload immediately."

"I'm in," Sam said, his voice cutting me off. He sounded boastful and I knew it had something to do with him beating all the missiles aimed at him. "Bravo lock."

"Two down, one to go," Maria stated, and I glanced at the countdown, knowing we had less than twenty minutes to get the last blade in before they launched Insight.

" _There's a disturbance on base, Ma'am,_ " Frankie said, and a hologram of planes blowing up appeared from my phone. " _I believe that The Winter Soldier has arrived._ "

"Thanks, Frankie." Glancing once again at the hologram, I bit my lip and shook my head. This was going to complicate things. "Did you hear that, guys? We've got company."

"Six minutes," Maria said, causing my heart to sink. There was nothing more I could do for them. Everything was down to the timing of the last blade. Closing my laptop, I slide it into my pack before looking back at the screens.

"Hey Sam, I think I'm gonna need a ride!" Steve yelled causing me to glance at his screen to see him jump off one of the helicarriers. He was crazy.

"There's not much I can do from here, but I can be your eyes," I muttered, squeezing through the gap between the two front seats and swiping my fingers over my tablet. All of the screens became holographic allowing me to see them all together. "I'll try to be of some help."

"Effie, I think it's time you got out of here," Steve said once he was safely on the last helicarrier.

"What? No, I'm not leaving you, Stevie," I said, feeling ridiculous for getting upset over it. I knew why he was doing it. He didn't want to have to tell Tony I had been hurt or killed because of him.

"You know, you're a lot heavier than you look," Sam said to him, and I watched as his wings closed up into his suit. I had to wonder where Frankie was getting the camera feed from but just assumed she'd hacked into the helicarriers feed.

"I had a big breakfast," Steve said just as I saw movement from in front of them. Before I could warn him, Bucky jumped out pushing him off the helicarrier.

"Steve!" Sam shouted the same time I did, and I watched as he went to go after him, but Bucky grabbed him from one of the wings stopping him from going after Steve.

I watched as Sam fought Bucky, but I leaned over to one of the laptops, dragging it to me and typing quickly. I need to get a good look at the area, see where Steve got to.

"Cap! Cap, come in, are you okay?" Sam asked just as I managed to locate Steve climbing up onto the helicarrier.

"Yeah, I'm here. I'm still on the helicarrier. Where are you?" Steve asked, and I knew he was on his own. Sam had lost his wings, there was no way he'd be getting to Steve.

"I'm grounded. The suit's down. Sorry, Cap."

"Don't worry. I got this," Steve assured him, and my heart went out for the super soldier. This was Bucky his was fighting. This was his best friend.

"You okay, Sammie?" I asked, zooming in on his screen so I could check him over.

"Yeah I'm good, Short Stack," he replied, leaning over and rubbing his arms.

"Falcon," Maria called to Sam.

"Yeah," he sighed, sounding confident again. I totally did not understand him, but I was guessing he was used to situations like this considering he was a soldier.

"Rumlow's headed for the council."

"I'm on it."

"Be careful, Sammie," I begged him, watching as he made his way into the building.

"Don't you worry about me."

"I'll try Bird Boy, but it's not going to work." I took in a deep breath and flicked my eyes between Sam and Steve. Steve was fighting Bucky and it looked like it hurt. I wouldn't like to go up against either of them.

" _Ma'am Agent Romanoff has uploaded all files to the internet,_ " Frankie said, showing me the complete process of the Shield and Hydra's files.

"Umm, spread them through the web, send them to the emails, I don't know, make it global," I muttered to her keeping my eyes on Steve and he thought Bucky.

"One minute," Maria told Steve. This was too intense. He was so close, he had started climbing to reach the platform when Bucky started shooting him. "Thirty seconds, Cap."

"Stand by. Charlie—" he was cut off by the sound of a bullet and I froze in my seat. My eyes flicked from Steve to a new hologram of Project Insight starting up. It looked like it was locating all and any targets, highlighting them in red dots. "Charlie lock," Steve said sounding as breathless as I felt.

Jesus Christ. We did it. Had we done it?

"Okay, Cap, get out of there," Maria said, and she started typing quickly on the computer. As I glanced at Steve I knew what was about to happen. I could see the resignation on his face.

"Fire now," he said, giving the answer I was dreading.

"But Steve—" Maria started the same dread in her tone, but Steve cut her off.

"Do it! Do it now!"

"Stevie," I whispered, not wanting this to happen. "Why'd you have to be the hero?" I asked, wiping my tears as I watched him glance down at Bucky as the ships destroyed each other.

" _Ma'am, it seems Agent Romanoff has been electrocuted,_ " Frankie said.

"What?" I drew my eyes away from Steve to look at Nat and Fury.

Nat was on the floor and Fury was crouched over her, a look of concern on his face. I could see Pierce on the floor, a couple of bullet wounds to the chest, but I didn't care. He deserved it. I felt relief wash over me when Nat woke up, muttering something.

Glancing back over to Steve I watched as he made his way to a trapped Bucky. The helicarrier they were on was about to crash into the building Sam was in. Oh God, was it going to crush him?

"Incoming, Sammie," I warned him, hoping he'd be able to get out safely. Frankie pulled up a helicopter making its way to the building and she zoomed in showing me, Nat and Fury. I guess they were on the rescue team for Sam.

My eyes widened as Sam jumped through the window and landed in the helicopter. I ran my hand over my face and pinched my nose. These people were trying to kill me.

"Hill! Where's Steve? You got a location on Rogers?" Nat asked, and I watched in distress as they zoomed past him, without knowing where he was.

"Steve?" I tried, but he either couldn't hear me or was ignoring me. I couldn't hear him either, so I was assuming his comm had fallen out or was broken. Glancing up, I saw that the footage of him had disappeared as well. I couldn't see him. I didn't even know if he was alive. "Steve?"

An image of the helicarrier appeared, pushing away all of the other images and I cried out as I watched Steve fall from the carrier and into the water below. Scrambling back into the front, I slide into the driver's seat and started up the car.

I could reach Steve. I wasn't that far from the water. I could get to him and hopefully save him before it was too late. Turning the engine off, I swung the door open, realizing how close I actually was to the water. It would be easier for me to run there.

Looking up at the falling helicarrier, I pushed past people as they scrambled to get out of the way and ignored the looks I was receiving as I ran towards the destruction. I could see the barrier keeping people from going down to the water and quickly climbed over it, stumbling as I tripped on the mud.

I came to a stop a few feet away from the barrier shocked to see Bucky pulling Steve out of the water. Bucky glanced down at Steve and I made to step forward, worried he'd hurt him.

Bucky's head shot up to me and I froze as his sharp eyes took me in and he started making his way towards me. I wanted to move, I really did, but there was something about a murderous assassin making his way towards me that kept me frozen on the spot.

He stopped in front of me, his large frame making me feel like a child as I barely reached his shoulders. Had I felt this small standing next to Steve? His eyes roamed over my face before his metal arm reached out and grabbed hold of my wrist, tugging me towards him.

My heart was thumping in my chest, but I wasn't as scared as I probably should have been. His touch seemed gentle. Cold, but gentle. I felt like he could do a lot of damage with his metal hand, but he had gently tugged me towards him. Surely, if he meant to harm me he would have done so?

"I know you."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading xx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Right, here's your new update. Sorry it's been so long. I did try to update last night but my internet crashed as I was trying to upload it and I just went to bed in frustration instead of trying to upload it again.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter and are enjoying the story so far. There's lots of Bucky in this chapter. Sorry in advance for any mistakes.**

 **I hope you enjoy the story. Please let me know what you think xx Comet96 xx**

* * *

"What?"

What did he mean he knew me?

"You were on the bridge," Bucky said, and I nodded remembering that he was right. He had seen me on the bridge.

"Do you remember why you were there?" I asked, shifting my eyes over his shoulder to Steve. I wasn't sure if he was breathing, but I had faith that he was. This wasn't how Captain America was going to die.

"He was my mission." So he did know. Flicking my eyes back to Bucky, I let out a deep breath I didn't know I had been holding.

"You should probably leave. There will be people coming soon, people you don't want to meet. People for him," I said, glancing back over to Steve. I knew it wouldn't be long before Nat and Sam found him and then they'd find Bucky. I had a feeling that wouldn't go down well.

"You'll come with me," Bucky said, and I snapped my eyes to meet his.

"What? Why?"

He didn't bother answering but instead started dragging me towards the railing. What did he mean, I'll come with him? I needed to get to Steve. I needed to make sure he was okay.

"Do you have a car?"

"Excuse me! Let me go. I need to go to Steve!" I snapped, letting out a shocked scream as Bucky lifted me over the railing and slung me over his shoulder. I coughed as my stomach came into contact with his shoulder as I tried to fight him. "Put me down!"

Why did it seem that there was no one around now? Just minutes ago this place was heaving with people running away. How convenient that there was no one to see me being kidnapped.

It made so much sense to me that Steve and Bucky were once best friends; they both knew how to kidnap someone.

I felt Bucky shift and the next thing I knew, I was being pushed into the SUV through the driver's side and dropped into the passenger's seat. Bucky leaned over, strapped me in and locked the door.

I watched him flabbergasted as he closed the driver's door and started up the car, driving away.

What the hell had I gotten myself into?

* * *

Bucky pulled up outside a bank, his eyes roaming around the area as he pulled out a gun. I watched him carefully, wanting to know his every move. I'd seen first hand what he could do, and I didn't want to end up surprised when he decided he no longer needed me.

" _The area is clear,_ " Frankie said, her voice echoing around the car. Bucky tensed at her voice and snapped his eyes to me, caution clear in his blue eyes. He was wondering where her voice came from. " _Sorry for the scar, Sergeant Barnes, I was only offering my findings. I've hacked the Hydra base and found it clear except for the lower basement in one safe._ "

"Who is she?" Bucky asked, his eyes roaming over my face before stopping at my eyes. He raised his hand, his fingers brushing my cheekbones as he peered at my eyes. I knew they were probably lined with silver around the green, something Nat pointed out earlier.

"Frankie, she's my AI." At the confused look on his face, I closed my eyes and slipped my phone out of my pocket. "Frankie, show him the surveillance." At my order, a hologram of the bank's surveillance popped up, changing between the cameras until it located the two men in the safe.

" _Ma'am, I'm getting new intel,_ " Frankie said, the hologram changing as it showed a group of men walking into the bank through a back entrance. " _I'm getting seven of them, all armed and talking about looking for the Asset._ "

Bucky stiffened at her words and I assumed that this Asset was him. I sighed and leaned forward, sliding my hand under my chair and pulling out a gun. It was standard issue for Shield, and Nat had it installed in me to hide one in every car. I suppose it was for moments likes these.

"What are you doing?"

I glanced at Bucky and shrugged. It wasn't in my nature to let him go in there alone. Even if I knew he'd be able to take them all on, on his own.

"Look, I might not seem like a fighter, but I can hold my own. I've got Frankie to help me and it doesn't feel right letting you go in there alone." I bit my lip and slid my phone back into my pocket. "Plus, you took me for a reason. I'm certain you're not going to just leave me in the car where I'm free to leave and no doubt tell Steve where you are."

Bucky didn't say anything, just grunted and opened the door. As he stepped out of the car I saw another gun tucked into the back of his trousers. I scrambled over the driver's seat and stumbled out of the car, landing next to him with a huff.

"Stay on my back and follow my orders," he said, his metal, gloved hand gripping my wrist as he went to move us to the doors of the bank.

"Wait," I called to him, tugging my arm as I swung back to the car. He let go of me as I slid back into the driver's side and leaned down for my bag, dragging it into my lap. Digging through my bag, I pulled out the oval case holding my comms and slide one out. "Frankie can help you out if you let her," I said, hoping he would take the help.

He slowly reached out and took the comm, slipping it into his ear. When his eyebrows rose, I assumed Frankie had said something to him on his comm, something I couldn't hear.

"Let's go," he ordered, and I nodded, slinging my bag over my shoulder and slamming the door shut before following behind him.

Bucky tapped in a code for the door and we slipped inside, the door closing and locking behind us. The open area of the bank was covered in desks, some holding weapons and others stacked with files and laptops, the screens displaying data.

"Frankie, download everything off those computers," I muttered as Bucky lead us through the lobby. He was taking us to one of the back hallways, but I stopped at one table, interested in the strange looking weapons on the surface.

"Electro-shocker disks," Bucky said softly, startling me as I turned to face him. I didn't hear him come up behind me and was surprised to feel his heat against my back. "Electro-shocker baton and electro-shocker guns. They're strong enough to bring down an elephant on the highest setting. The weakest setting can bring down a large dog." He picked up a gun and fiddled with it before handing it to me. "It's set on two, it should bring down anyone you come across."

I looked down at the gun, confused as to why he gave it to me. I already had a gun, I didn't need this. I was startled out of my thoughts when I felt him tugging off my bag. He set my pack on the table and started loading it with the disks and two batons before adding another two guns.

"What are you doing?" I asked, reaching forward to stop him, but froze at the look he gave me.

"Hydra may have been made up of bastards, but they were smart. These weapons are undetectable by metal detectors. Set on the highest setting they could kill a man; I think we'll be keeping hold of a few of them until we get to a safe zone." The authority in his voice made me shrink back as I watched him zip up the pack and sling it onto his back. "Here, you might need these."

I glanced down at his hand as he offered me six electro-shocker disks. What did he want me to do with them? As if reading my mind, Bucky pulled me closer and slipped the disks into my jean pockets. I tensed as his hands brushed against my bum and thighs and I almost let out a moan at the warmth of his hand.

"What am I meant to do with them?" I whispered, noting the gruffness of my voice. I hoped he wouldn't hear it, but I knew he probably did.

"Press the middle button and throw it," he paused, his eyes roaming over my face as he smirked. "It would help if you aimed at a target." With one last once over at my figure, he turned and made his way to the hall.

Did he just check me out?

I followed behind Bucky as he made his way towards the men and thanks to Frankie, I could see the seven of them lit up in red. We were close to them but there were two walls between us.

"Two walls away," I whispered knowing Bucky would hear me on the comm. With my words, Bucky slowed his pace as waved his metal arm back, his hand ordering me to crouch and stay where I was.

I could already tell that he was going to take them all out himself.

" _If I may, Sergeant Barnes,_ " Frankie interrupted causing Bucky to pause as he waited for her to go on. I guess he didn't want to be distracted when he was about to kill a bunch of Hydra agents. " _I found that you were meant to take Miss Stark as one of your missions._ " Was he? Looking at him now, I could see how uncomfortable he looked. Did he feel ashamed that he was meant to kidnap me and bring me here? If he was, at least he was gaining his former personality back. " _I suggest you use her to gain their trust and then take them out when they're least expecting it._ "

I couldn't believe she was even suggesting that. would she truly think about putting me in danger?

Bucky turned to me, his eyes roaming over me before settling on the gun in my hand. He tilted his head to the side before silently walking to me and taking the gun, slipping it into his boot.

His hand gripped above my elbow tightly, but it wasn't painful. It was like he didn't want to hurt me, he'd even used his right hand, so the metal of his left wouldn't dig into me.

"Struggle," his muttered softly, dragging me towards the men. I was startled by his decision. When did he start listening to Frankie? When did he take orders from someone he couldn't see?

"Hey!" I snapped, trying to pull away from Bucky when he dug his fingers into my arm. I didn't find it necessary for him to do that, but he obviously wanted to make this look real. If he wanted that, I could give him it. "Let me go, you son of a bitch!"

Bucky frowned at me, but before I could try to figure out the look on his face the seven Hydra agents came from around the wall, their guns raised and aimed at us. Bucky paused, his grip tightening on my arm and he pulled me behind him, as we were faced with Hydra.

"It's the Asset," one of the men said, his gun lowering slightly as he took in Bucky and then let his eyes drift to me. "He's got Pierce's granddaughter."

The six other men seemed to lower their guns at the news, their eyes roaming over me as they seemed to assess the situation we all found ourselves in. I was unsure where this was going to go, but I trusted Bucky would find a way out of this. I had seen clips of his fighting style earlier and wondered if they Bucky I had with me now fought the same way mind-controlled Bucky fought.

"Pierce is dead," another man said, stepping closer, his eyes roaming over me and lingering longer than I wished. "I say we take the girl and show her how thankful we were that her grandfather led Hydra for as long as he could."

My palms started sweating at his implication, and my heart was pounding, the sound echoing in my ears like an air-horn. I knew these men were vile, but I didn't think they would be adding rape to their list of crimes.

Bucky's hand twitched against my arm and within a second the man that spoke was lying on the floor with a bullet in his head. As I was trying to get a handle on the situation, Bucky pushed me away back behind the wall and slid the gun from his boot, firing continuously.

"Effie, it's safe now," Bucky said, his voice unusually calming. I blinked up at him, lost and confused as he held out his hand and pulled me up from the floor.

"What was that?" I asked, glancing around at the seven dead agents that now littered the floor. "How did you even kill them that fast?"

"I've been trained," he muttered, giving me a look that made him look so unsure. As his words settled, I remembered who this was I was with. How could I forget who he was? "Come on."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading xx I hope you enjoyed it xx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, I hope I haven't disappointed you all in the long wait, but I've recently started a new job so that's been hectic and I've been on holiday for the last two weeks.**

 **Sorry for any mistakes found, but I do hope that you all enjoy this.**

 **Thanking you all, Comet96 xx**

* * *

"Ba, bah bah, ba dah dah, bah bah bah, dah dah." I glanced at Bucky as he stood stiffly in the elevator and turned back to face the closed door. "Bah, bah bah bah, dah dah dah, da da da."

"Why in the hell does Hydra have elevator music playing?" I asked, finally having enough of the stupid music. "It's like going to a funeral and someone playing _Happy Birthday_. Who thought it would be a good idea for an evil killing cooperation to have uplifting elevator music?" I glanced at Bucky, who was staring at me, his icy eyes penetrating through me as if he could catch a glimpse into my mind. "Do you even like this music?" He turned to face me, his hair brushing his cheekbones as he looked down at me, his eyes once again roaming over my figure. "You should make a complaint. Wait, you can't, there's no one left for you to complain to. Perhaps I'll get Frankie to hack into their system and stop this awful music." Bucky shifted towards me making me take a step back as his towering form loomed above me. He took another step towards me, and another until my back hit the metal wall of the elevator and he placed his arms on either side of my head.

"Stop," he said, leaning his head down until his eyes were level with mine. His hair brushed against my face as he dipped his lips down by my ear. "You need to stop." He pulled back, his nose brushing against my cheekbone as he moved. "You're distracting."

I slowly nodded my head, my eyes wide and my cheeks burning in shock. What had he just done? Why had he gotten so close to me? I thought he was all half-Bucky half-Winter Solider mode right now, or at least 72% the Winter Soldier. Basically, I thought he was more killer robot than man-out-of-time.

"Oh, right," I said lamely, still flustered by how close he came. He glanced at me once again before taking a step forward just as the door opened and he stepped out.

"Come on, stick close," he ordered, his hand resting on my elbow as he helped me out of the elevator. It's not like I couldn't get out all by myself. It wasn't like I was a big girl or anything. "You're speaking out loud."

"Really?" I asked, my voice flattening at his implication. Did I really speak out loud?

"Yes, really. Now shut up and get behind me."

"You're so bossy," I grumbled, moving behind him and pulling out my taser-gun in case I needed it.

We slowly turned around a few corners until we came to an open vault door where two men stood arguing. They looked like scientists to me, their long white coats hinting at their profession. To be honest, I was finding it hard to understand why anyone would want to work with or for Hydra.

Bucky paused as we came closer to the vault and I realized that this must have been where he was kept sometimes during his cooling down periods. Peeking into the vault I could see all kinds of strange things and I was sure that funky looking chair wasn't comfortable.

"Hi," I said lamely as we approached them. Bucky snapped his head to me, sending me a murderous glare – it didn't really do much, once you've received the death glare form Pepper, no one scares you. "What?" I grunted, not liking the look he was giving me. Shouldn't he be focused on those two?

"Oh, shit," one of the men said as they both moved further into the vault and away from us. Hell, they were moving away from Bucky. I must have looked like a freaking angel to them compared to him.

Bucky lowered his gun and shot forward grabbing hold of the taller of the two and pinned him against the wall.

"Where did everyone go?" he growled, his metal arm tightening around the man's throat. The man coughed, his hands reaching up to try and loosen Bucky's grip. "Tell me where they are!"

"Bucky, I don't think he's able to answer you with your hand wrapped around his throat," I muttered, coming forward and resting my hand on his metal arm. I was stood close to the scientist now and from the look Bucky was shooting me, I knew he didn't like it. "Let him go."

Bucky's smooth fingers released the man and quickly pulled me back to his side before turning to face the two scientists.

"What did they do to me?" he asked them, his eyes flicking between them and the computers.

Okay. That wasn't the question I had been expecting.

The smaller of the two started mumbling about something, his words muffled by the shaking of his voice. I knew it was getting on Bucky's nerves by the way his shoulders tensed, and he took the smallest step forward.

"Have you killed anyone?" I asked, taking control over the situation before Bucky intervened. I did not need to see two more people die today.

"Wh-what?" the man stuttered, his eyes staying focused on Bucky as he answered my question.

"What did you do for Hydra? Have you killed for them?" I repeated, stepping closer to him and covering Bucky slightly with my body. There was no way I was hiding Bucky, but hopefully, I could lock the man's attention on me.

"No, no. We stayed inside the lab logging data. We've never actually worked on the Asset or anyone else," he said quickly, his eyes flashing to me for a brief second before shooting back to Bucky.

"I'm still going to kill you," Bucky hissed, raising his arm and no doubt his gun.

"Okay," I muttered, raising my stun gun and shooting them both before Bucky could have a chance. He immediately turned to me, his gun slightly raised and a pissed off look on his face.

"Why did you do that?"

"I didn't see the need in killing them off they didn't hurt anyone," I muttered, sliding my gun into the back of my jeans before walking over to one of the many computers.

"We needed them awake to get answers," he argued, following me over to the computer where Frankie was already hacking away at the information.

I turned to him, my arms crossed as I leaned back on my heel and gave him an unimpressed look, my eyebrows raised.

"If I'm not mistaken, you had your gun out to shot them. And unlike my gun, yours would have left a hole in their head." He did deny it, but he also didn't lower his gun. "How would that have gotten us answers any better than me knocking them out?" I asked reaching p and pushing his hand down. I felt slightly better now that he didn't have his gun pointed at me.

"I should have left you in the car," he grumbled, moving away from me and looking around the room.

"Yeah, and we both know I would have left to find Steve as soon as you entered the building," I shot back turning to the computer and pulling up a file that looked particularly interesting.

I heard Bucky making some noise behind me and glance at him to see him grabbing a green duffle bag from one of the tables and started filling it with the medical supplies scattered around the room. At least one of use seemed prepared to become a fugitive on the run.

"Bucky," I called to him, keeping my eyes on the map in front of me. If I was right in my assumption, then this was a map indicating all the Hydra bases around the world. "Are you going to start hunting Hydra down?" I asked already knowing that was what he was planning to do.

"Why?" he questioned making me jump as his voice sounded right next to my ear. I didn't even hear him sneak up on me. "What's that?"

"It's our lead for your new mission."

* * *

If I thought that one day I would be sitting in a car with a mass murdering arguing about where was safe to buy a few supplies, then I would have checked into a mental institute within minutes.

"You're not listening to me," Bucky growled, his right hand resting on my left arm as I went to leave the car. "We can't go in there."

"I swear you were a dog in a past life," I grumbled, turning to face him giving him a pointed look to remove his hand. He didn't. "All you do is growl at me." I think he thought his non-stop stare was intimidating. "Look, I already told you that Frankie has control of all of the cameras. No one is going to see us."

"This isn't a good idea."

"Okay, if you don't think it's a good idea, then you can stay in the car while I go get us some new clothes, but I swear to God, Bucky, if you don't let me buy new underwear I will shot you in the arse," I hissed yanking my arm from his hand and stomping out of the car, slamming the door behind me.

Running my fingers through my hair, I straightened my shoulder and headed into the busy mall. It was a big place I was convinced we were far enough away from DC to be noticed.

"You're a pain in my arse already," Bucky growled, his shoulder brushing against mine as he followed me further into the mall. There he goes growling again.

Looking around at some of the people in the mall, I could see the looks they were giving Bucky. He stood out because he looked cold. He stood out because he made himself different from everyone else and it had nothing to do with his arm.

I quickly took his right hand in mine as we walked into a unisex store, ignoring the look he shot me as I smiled sweetly at the lady that greeted us.

"What are you doing?" he mumbled close to my ear as he bent down. I glanced up at him, raising my right hand and tucking his long hair behind his ear, slightly impressed that he didn't move away from my touch.

"We're meant to be blending in. You stand out too much so I'm trying to make you blend in," I replied, shifting through a rack of shirts with one hand while I kept his hand in mine.

"And holding my hand is meant to help with that?"

"A husband generally holds his wife's hand when they go out together," I said, holding up a light blue shirt and decided I liked it.

"Husband?" he asked, his voice staying the same tone as before, but I could sense his discomfort in the way his hand twitched.

"It's just our alias, Bucky. A face for everyone around us. They're looking for a single man and woman, not a married couple." It wasn't rocket science, and I was sure he knew what an alias was. How many people had he pretended to be, so he could kill someone?

"Okay." His tone was stern, and I was afraid he'd gone back to The Winter Soldier again. Had I really cause him to revert to the killing machine?

Glancing up at him I could see that he was looking around the store, his eyes settling on everyone that entered and milled about. He was tense next to me and I knew his left hand was hovering by his gun.

"Bucky, why don't you go look for some new clothes?" I suggested, glancing at the awful outfit he'd changed into at the Hydra vault.

With a nod, he pulled his hand from mine and wandered over to the men's section.

I was trying to decide between a loose tank top and a button up shirt when a shadow cast over me from behind. Thinking it was Bucky, I spun around holding up the white shirts to ask for his opinion.

"What one?" I asked, blinking furiously when I realized it wasn't him, but rather a blond man that looked to be in his thirties.

"I would say the button up, I can just imagine you slowly unbuttoning it and revealing sexy red lingerie," he said, leaning on the clothes rail behind me as he leaned down, a smirk on his face.

"Umm," I muttered pathetically, trying to find something to say. I wasn't unaccustomed to men hitting on me, but I wasn't really expecting it today.

I was only prepared to be a fugitive shopping for supplies.

"Now, now, babe, no need to get all flustered over me. We can slip into the changing rooms and have a quick one if it suits you better," he suggested, and I flinched in repulsion.

"It doesn't suit her," Bucky said, his voice hard and edgy as he towered over the blond man trying to hit on me.

Blondie rolled his eyes and turned to face Bucky, his eyes widening in fear as they settled on him. there was a great difference in their height, with Blondie only reaching Bucky's shoulders.

"And who are you?" Blondie asked, puffing out his chest as he spoke. No matter how hard he tried, his fear of Bucky was obvious in the shaking of his voice.

"Her husband," Bucky replied, reaching over and slipping his arm behind my back, his metal hand settling on my hip as he tugged me into his chest. "Beat it, punk."

Blondie ran off. Like, literally ran off as Bucky glared him out of the store.

"Did you just call him Punk?" I asked, flustered by how much Bucky reminded me of Steve in that moment?"

"Yeah?" He sounded so unsure of himself, almost like he was afraid he'd done something wrong.

"You sounded like Steve for a minute there." Glancing down at the shirts in my hands, I decided to buy both and added them to the pile I had made by my feet. "Come on, let's buy our stuff."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading xx Comet96 xx**


	6. Chapter 6

**I know it's not much, but I hope it will be good for now.**

 **Sorry for any mistakes, please inform me if you want.**

 **I hope you all enjoy this chapter xx Lots of love, Comet96 xx**

* * *

I always knew it was going to be hard living with a man.

Perhaps it was my experience living with Tony that had me prepared for this day, or it might have been living at the Shield base for a couple of months, but I could guarantee that Bucky was more complex and difficult to live with than any man I'd shared my life with before.

And it had only been ten hours since he'd taken me 'hostage'.

"Can I call it being held hostage if I've agreed to work with you?" I asked the solider as I spun on my heel and looked at him as he rifled through all his weapons.

"What?" he grumbled, looking up at me, those intense eyes of his made my heart flutter.

"Can I still be a hostage if I've agreed to help you?" He didn't answer, just looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. "I mean, technically, I wouldn't be helping you if I wasn't taken hostage, so therefore I'm still going to call myself a hostage."

"Call yourself whatever you want, but if you've not packed your bag within the hour I'll be dragging you out to the car with or without your clothes," Bucky said, turning his eyes back to the weapons, tucking them into little pockets of his rucksack.

He had one of those big rucksacks, the ones you see travelers wearing, ones that make them stand out as students on a gap year or tourists.

"Mate, I've got my bag packed, I've even got my duffle ready with all my tech and a few of those electrical weapon things we picked up," I told him, gesturing to the bags at the bottom of the bed.

He thought it was a good idea to book us into a motel for a few hours, so we could get organised.

"Don't call me mate," he said, rising from the table and making his way over. "We'll need to get a new car. Your friends know what this one looks like and I have no doubt they'll be tracking it."

"I know someone that can get us a car," I said, looking at him quickly before sliding out my phone and typing a quick message. "And a few other things."

"Can we trust them?"

God, he was all about this trusting shit. He really needed to know that it was hard to trust people nowadays, but Robbie would never betray me. Not after I kept him out of prison.

Yeah, I probably shouldn't mention that bit to Bucky.

"They won't even think about turning us in," I told him, grabbing my bags from the floor as Bucky threw his on his shoulder and grabbed the keys. What happened to leaving within the hour? "They owe me too much."

"Just know, I will kill anyone that gets in our way." From the way he said it, I knew he wasn't joking.

"That's not reassuring," I grumbled slipping past him to the car. I really didn't need Bucky leaving a trail of bodies behind us.

* * *

"This is a garage," Bucky said as I lead him into the busy body shop. I glanced at him quickly before turning to face a few of the younger guys in the garage. They were messing around with one car and I had a feeling that the black truck was going to be handed over to us.

"Hey baby," one of the guys called out to me as we passed them. I hadn't seen him before so I assumed he was new. I caught the eye of Scott behind him and saw that he was stopping the other guys from stopping the newbie. "You come to get your body checked over, yeah? I can give you a full check and a ride if you want?"

Scott was laughing now, and I knew that Kevin and Seg were creasing up too. I really did hope that Robbie wasn't letting the guys chat up every poor girl that walked into the shop.

I felt Bucky tense behind me and knew he was probably getting ready to hit the poor guy – if I had learned anything from the way he acted at the mall earlier, it was that he didn't like guys hitting on unsuspecting women. Before Bucky could do anything, a sharp, demanding voice called out through the shop.

"Koby!" the newbie spun around to look at Robbie, his eyes widening as he was caught chatting up a customer. "That's your boss, you wanker."

"Umm, err, sorry ma'am," Koby stuttered, his face burning as he turned away his tail between his legs as he joined Scott and the others.

I laughed before rushing up the stairs and throwing myself at Robbie. His chuckle vibrated through me as he pulled me into a bear hug, squeezing me tightly.

"Hey chick, you've not been around in a while," he said dropping me down and resting his hands on my shoulders. His eyes flicked over my shoulder no doubt landing on Bucky. I noticed the recognition in his eyes. "You in trouble?"

"We really need your help, Robbie," I said, giving him a cheeky smile as he rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Let me get this straight," Robbie said, leaning back in his chair as he looked at Bucky. "You're on the run from Captain America, and you're both fugitives, but he's technically kidnapped you so you're not a fugitive, but he is?"

Right, when he put it like that, I could understand the unsure and uneasy look he was giving us. I should have done a Bucky and just got straight to the point or bleeding pointed a gun at his head and order him to get me everything I wanted.

Only thing was, if I did that to Robbie, he'd crease up and be crying from his laughter. He thought I was like a mouse, barely scary and definitely not threatening.

"Yes."

"No."

I glared at Bucky when he gave the opposite reply to me. What was he playing at? I thought I already told him he kidnapped me or was he not listening?

"Don't listen to Buck, Robbie, he doesn't know what he's talking about," I said to Robbie as I fished for a piece of paper in my pocket. "I need you to get me these things and if possible, do it quickly and quietly." I slid the paper over to him and watched as a small smirk flirted across his lips.

"You've come to the right man, Red," Robbie said as he rose from his seat and walked over to the bookshelf in his office.

"Of course, I did. Why would I bother you if I knew you couldn't give me what I wanted?" I asked, following him as he pushed aside a few books to reveal a keypad and typed in a code.

"Would you go to anyone else? I'm wounded."

I rolled my eyes at him as the bookshelf opened up to reveal an elevator. I always got excited when I came to the garage. It made me feel like a spy when we went into the basement.

Of course, I was a spy for Shield, but this made me feel like James Bond.

"You're a child," Bucky mutter in my ear as he followed us into the elevator, his hand brushing along my back as he situated himself next to me. I could see the way he was eyeing Robbie and I knew he was still unsure of him.

There was classical music playing in the background, one of my favourites, _Where Is My Mind_ by Maxence Cyrin. I couldn't help the smile that crossed my lips as I thought about the last time I was in an elevator with Bucky. Though, he had ended up making me blush with how close he had gotten.

"Welcome back, Ginger Snaps," Robbie said as the doors opened and our underground secret business was revealed. There were desks set up all over the place with high-tech computers dotted around. Of course, I knew what they were for, but Bucky looked lost.

"You got the new tech then? Did Tony ask you why I wanted them brought here?" I asked going over to one of the screens, ignoring the look of the guy sat at the desk. I ran my fingers over the screen and smiled when Frankie took control of the system. I knew she was in control of all the tech in the room.

"Nah, I don't think he really cares what you're up to, Sweetheart." Robbie made his way through the desk and over to a glassed-off office.

"Hey, you need to stop playing solitaire this bad," I said to the guy who was still dumbfounded. He gave me a slow nod with his mouth hanging open as I saluted him and rushed after Robbie.

"I need your photos if you want these done by tonight," Robbie said nodding over to photo booth in the corner of the office.

"You got all the details, right?" I asked him as I fiddled with my hair in the mirror making sure it was tied back. I almost chuckled out loud when I realized Bucky would have to do the same thing.

"Yeah, Harry and Ginny Edwards." He paused as he turned to me, his eyebrows raising. "I wonder where you got those names from?"

"Hey!" I snapped, resting my hands on my hips as I glared at him. I knew what he thought of my favourite Harry Potter couple. "Book Ginny was a total badass and her and Harry are the perfect couple. You need to read the books to understand my feels, you Muggle."

"What's a Muggle?" Bucky asked, interrupting what Robbie was about to say. I almost scoffed at him before I remembered who he was. There was no chance Hydra would ever let their precious Asset watch Harry Potter. I was going to change that.

"As soon as I get you alone, I'm going to improve your life," I told Bucky, give him a double thumbs up as I slid into the photo booth.

"Dude, I don't think she means sex," Robbie said to Bucky and I laughed at the mortified look on Bucky's face.

* * *

The new passports looked fantastic and I looked the detail Robbie had his crew put into them. While they were new, they looked slightly used and there were even a few stamps from around the world to help sell them.

The accompany ID's and birth certificates were also what I wanted, and I couldn't have been happier. There was a reason I hunted down Robbie when he was released from prison. Shield had wanted him as one of their own, but he had refused not wanting to be part of all that. Instead, I hired him and took on Shield as a client.

"This is good work," Bucky said holding up his passport as he leaned against the truck Robbie had given us. I looked at him surprised. It was the first time I had heard him compliment anyone.

"It's why he works for me," I told Bucky flashing him a smile as I flung my bags into the back seat of the truck.

It was what I loved about the truck. It had five seats and a large bed, and it had always been one of my dream cars. I had a feeling it was why Robbie had given it to us. Bucky's bags were already on the back seat and I noted a few weapons tucked around the interior easy for him to grab.

I shut the door and climbed into the front, looking over to Bucky as he joined me. He was still glancing at his new ID's and I wanted to know what he was thinking. Was this a lot for him to take in? Did he wish he'd gone back to Hydra and let them control him again? Did he regret taking me and trying to find out who he was? What was going on in his head?

"Where are we going first?" I asked, not asking him what I really wanted. Though, I was interested in where Bucky would have us going first. He'd got it into his head that we should start taking out Hydra one base at a time.

"Canada."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading xx**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, a quick update. Sorry for the wait and I apologize for any mistakes, I'm updating via my phone.**

 **I hope you all enjoy xx Comet96 xx**

* * *

"Perhaps I should—"

"No."

"If you think about it—"

"No."

"But I really think—"

"I said no," Bucky said, checking the pile of weapons he had set out on the table. He glanced up at me and I could tell from the determined look in his eyes that he adamant that I stay here.

"What's the point of us coming here together if I can't even go to the Hydra base with you?" I crossed my arms over my chest as I glared at him. "Who died and made you boss?"

Okay, so I may have been acting like a child, but it was a valid reason. Why was he suddenly in charge?

"It's too dangerous for you to be there."

"But it's fine for you to go out there and take on a whole Hydra base by yourself?"

Bucky paused, placing his gun down on the table. He was giving me a calculating look that made me think he had reverted back to his Winter Soldier personality. He stepped away from the table and slowly made his way to me.

I felt like he was trying to scare me with how slow he was coming closer, but I knew he was trying to asses the situation and probably find a way to convince me why it was safer for me to stay here.

"Bucky, I think it might be safer for me to go with you." The way his jaw clenched was a definite no. "Or at least let me call Steve and he and Nat can come and help you."

"I don't trust him," Bucky replied, shifting closer until he towered over me.

"But you trust me?" I asked, looking up at him and feeling butterflies scrambling in my stomach. From a distance, Bucky was clearly a handsome man, but up close he was so fricking beautiful it almost made me cry. Was there something in the water back during the war because between him and Steve I could only imagine what all the other men looked like.

"You helped, you're helping." I had a feeling he meant more than finding Hydra and discovering their secrets by hacking into their systems. From the look in his eyes, I knew he meant more. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked confused but didn't have any time to think about it as his metal hand flashed out towards my head.

* * *

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

"What… what the hell?" I grumbled blinking my eyes open. I was staring at the motel room with bleary eyes. What happened?

Bucky.

It had something to do with Bucky.

"Frankie, where's Bucky?" I asked trying to sit up only to be pulled back down to the bed.

"Sergeant Barnes has gone to the Hydra base," she informed me, a slightly smug tone to her voice.

"And am I still in Big River?" I wondered hoping Bucky hadn't moved me while I was out for the count.

"Yes, in the Timberland Motel, room 14," Frankie replied, flicking the information across my lenses.

"And where had Bucky gone? Is he still in Big River?"

"Sergeant Barnes has asked me not to tell you that information," Frankie said quickly removing all information from my sight.

"Frankie, why can't I move my arms?" I asked, trying to tug myself up into a sitting position.

"Sergeant Barnes apprehended you before he went to the Hydra base."

He tied me up. That bastard.

"Ahhhhhh!"

"Do you feel better Ma'am?"

"Frankie, I would hit you if you were real," I spat at her, trying to fiddle with the rope holding me down.

"I would find that highly unlikely, Ma'am, seeing as you're tied up."

Really Frankie? You just had to go there? Why did it seem that my AI was on Bucky's side? Surely, she could have predicted what he was going to do and could have warned me, but she didn't.

I bet she helped him get to the Hydra base as well.

"Frankie, how long has Bucky been gone?"

"Seven hours, thirty-seven minutes, and seventeen seconds. He arrived at the Hydra base within two hours and thirty-three-minutes, scouted the area for approximately three hours, and fifty-seven-minutes before breaking into the base on the weakest side. He's currently making his way through the base and has killed 37% of Hydra."

Shaking my head, I rubbed at my wrists as I sat up on the bed, cursing the fact that Bucky had tied me to the bed. Did he really think I was going to stay tied up? Nat had me trained in an intense training where she left me in dangerous situations tied up in all the ways she could think.

I knew how to slip most knots within minutes.

"Frankie can we set up surveillance with the Hydra base. I'd like to have as many eyes on Bucky as possible. I also want a layout of the building, so I can warn him of any threats," I said to her setting up my laptops over the bed. I needed them in case I needed to hack anything alongside Frankie. "Does he have his comm in?"

"At my insistence, Sergeant Barnes is allowing me to communicate with him. He's been checking in to see how you are every hour or so."

That's comforting at least. Now I knew he felt bad about hitting me.

Taking a quick glance at the mirror hanging on the wall, I flinched at the purply-green bruise on my forehead. It looked a couple of days old and I was reminded of the possible healing factors I had been born with.

"Frankie call Natasha but block all information and data so she can't track us." I wasn't going to do it, but I knew they were all probably going crazy. Dad had been calling me none stop, and I felt guilty for ignoring him.

Natasha's text had asked if I was alive and had been concerned at first but after no reply for five days, she had grown more panicked.

"Are you sure that's wise, Ma'am? Sergeant Barnes asked me to warn him if you decided to call your friends."

"Frankie who made you? Where do your loyalties lay? With me or Bucky? Because it seems your leaning towards Bucky."

I was finding it hard to believe that she was listening to Bucky over me. Although in a sense, I could understand why she was doing it. Bucky was a leader, he was the Alpha and she probably felt like she had to listen to him – he had that sort of personality to him – I almost listened to him most of the time.

"Just call Nat and don't pass on the information to Bucky or I'll reset your system," I threatened knowing how much she hated it because it took her hours to get all her data back.

"Call Natasha," Frankie replied quickly, the call coming up on my lenses as I paced around the bed, setting up all the laptops and devices.

"Effie, thank God. We thought the worst when you didn't answer any of our calls. You're safe right? You're not hurt?" she rushed out, sounding very unlike herself.

"Tasha, I'm fine, but you're not going to like what I'm about to tell you," I said to her as I glanced at the screen that showed me Bucky. He looked okay, no injuries from what I could tell. I was actually surprised that he had made it this far without getting hurt or captured.

"Where are you? I'll come to pick you up."

"That's the problem. I'm not coming home."

"What do you mean you're not coming home?" she snapped before whispered something away from the phone. She was with someone. "Is there someone there with you? Are they keeping you captive? Pass the phone over to them."

"It's not that simple, Nat. He took me hostage at first, but I've decided to stick around and help him," I said knowing what she'd say next.

"That sounds like Stockholm syndrome, Effie. What's he done to you? Has he threatened us?" she asked, sounding unsure. I heard her say something else to whomever she was with before there was a rumbling sound on the line.

"Effie, you're with him, aren't you?" Steve questioned, a tired tone to his voice. Last I remembered, he'd almost been beaten to death by Bucky and I was concerned that he died. I only knew he was alive because of Frankie.

"He's not the Winter Soldier, Steve, but he isn't Bucky either. He said I was helping him." I thought honesty with Steve was the best I could do. We both knew I wouldn't be telling him where we were, but I could at least update him with Bucky.

"You're safe with him though? He hasn't hurt you?"

I wasn't going to mention the massive bruise on my head, that wouldn't sit well with Steve or Nat.

"We went to the Hydra base on Washington. Pierce's men were going to rape me, but Bucky stopped them before they could do anything. I stopped him from killing some scientists as well, so I think we can work well together."

"You're not going to tell me where you are, are you?" he asked, the lack of disappointment in his voice told me he always knew I wouldn't be giving away that information.

"Nope, but I'll tell you that we're going after Hydra. In a couple of months, once everything's settled down with the media and the government, I'll send you the location of a Hydra base."

"Effie, you should come home," Steve begged. I knew he was asking me to bring Bucky to him, but I couldn't do that. something was telling me that I had to stick with Bucky.

"I can't do that, Steve." I paused, taking a glance at the screens, seeing trouble heading straight for Bucky. "I've got to go."

"Effie, wait—"

"Bucky, you've got trouble coming around from the left, I'd say about fifteen men," I said to him, dropping to my knees as I zoomed in on him. he titled his head to the side as he paused.

"You're awake," he whispered, waiting for the men to turn around the corner. "How's your head?" I was certain he was smirking. I could hear it in his voice and see it clearly on the screen.

"A little sore, but I'll live. I'm actually more than a little pissed that you went without me," I hissed at him, tensing as the men came stomping around the corner. "I could be helping you right now."

Watching Bucky fight off the men was like watching a live action film, but with all the graphic gore. It was like he didn't even have to think about fighting the men in front of him. it all seemed effortless and I was certain he didn't even break a sweat as he took them all out.

"Yeah, well, I'm much happier knowing you're safe," he grunted, collecting ammunition from the bodies of his victims.

Should I call them victims? They were dead after all, and they had been Bucky's kills.

"Aww, that's so sweet Buck, you're making me blush," I teased him, knowing he'd get annoyed. On the drive up here, I'd found my entertainment by teasing Bucky and kind of flirting with him.

It went over his head, but boy could he give back just as much as I was given. He couldn't take it very well either and when he did realize what I was doing his cheeks flushed a bit reminding me of Steve, but he'd gotten my cheeks flaring just as much.

"Stop talking."

"Have I embarrassed you?" I asked, trying to keep my laughter at bay.

"I'm trying to concentrate, and I can't do that with you harping on in my ear," he grumbled, taking down another two men before he paused and glanced up at the ceiling. I smiled when I saw him looking directly at the camera. "Do something useful and hack into the system before they delete everything."

"What are you going to do if I don't do as you say?" I wondered, my fingers already flicking across my keyboard at his demand.

"Frankie, end the call," he said and within seconds his line cut off from me.

"Frankie, you really need to end this obeying Bucky over me thing," I said to her as I dropped onto the bed getting comfortable.

* * *

Hacking into Hydra was a piece of piss. They really needed to think about updating their systems. I would have thought they'd be well above this crappy tech after having dad install some hardcore tech on the helicarriers.

Bucky had managed to take out the rest of Hydra using their own weapons against them and he'd done it within twelve-hours, single-handedly. I'd been watching him on my screens and Frankie had his back covered when I wasn't shouting at this screen.

He'd refused to connect me calls since he hung up, so I was having to go through Frankie to talk to him. I also had the feeling that she was currently fangirling over him too, taking all his commands over mine and giving him more attention than me.

And now I sounded like a whiny brat.

"Incoming call from—"

"Hey!" I exclaimed cutting Frankie off excited to finally hear back from Bucky.

"Ethel-Rose Stark!" Dad snapped, causing the blood to drain from me. Fuck. I should have left my contacts on. At least that way I would have known it was him calling me.

"Hey, dad, how's everything with you?"

"Don't give me that shit. You're on the run with The Winter Soldier," dad said, causing me to scrunch my nose in distaste.

"Well I wouldn't put it like that, he didn't—"

"Come home now!"

"It's not that simple—"

"If I have to get in my suit and track you down, I will. Ethel, you're getting in a car, on a train, or a fucking bus and coming home."

"Dad, I really need to do this," I said to him, trying not to get too frustrated with him.

I knew he'd act like this. It was why I had been ignoring his calls.

"Ethel-Rose—"

"You named me after mom, didn't you? Rose comes from Roseanne, right? Did you know who she was? Did you know my grandfather was Pierce?"

The silence on the other end made me suspicious. Was it a good silence or a bad one? Did he know?

"I didn't know, but Pierce always seemed interested in you and I always struggled to understand why. It makes sense now." Dad paused, taking a struggling breath. "I read what they did to you. It helps me understand your childhood a bit better now. It explains why you were never ill or why you healed so fast. I'm sorry I never looked into it. I'm sorry I was such a shitty father."

"You're not too bad, dad," I said to him, smiling softly at his chuckle. My eyes flew to the door as it opened, and Bucky came in, dropping a heavy bag on the floor. He glanced at me as I held my finger to my lips and pointed at my ear. "You're okay though, right?"

"Everything Shield had on me was already public knowledge. Well, everything except you. It's all out there now, sweetheart."

"You know that never bothered me, dad. You kept me from the press to keep me safe." I watched Bucky as he tensed but waved him off as he took an uncertain step towards me. "Look, I've got to go, but I swear I'll keep you updated on my health every week."

"Come home, Ethel," dad begged, his voice breaking as a crash sounded in the background.

"You know I can't do that. I have to help him," I whispered locking my eyes with Bucky as I spoke. "I love you." I hung up before he could say anything else. Closing my eyes, I lifted my head towards the ceiling. I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to cry. "I didn't tell him where we are."

"I trust you."

Opening my eyes, I looked at him trying to see if he was lying to me. I was finding it hard to believe that he trusted me, considering he didn't even take me with him today.

"But you didn't let me go with you today."

"I didn't want you getting hurt. I couldn't keep my eyes on you and take down Hydra, something would have gone wrong."

"You know, I almost rolled my eyes at that. I'm not a child, Bucky." I snapped throwing myself from the bed towards him.

"You're acting like one, though," he growled, taking a step closer too. I think anyone could be intimidated by Bucky, but he didn't scare me not with all my anger directed at him.

"There's a lot of things I could do to you right now, Bucky, but I like to consider myself a lady," I hissed at him, turning quickly, stomping into the bathroom and slamming the door behind me.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, hating how much I looked like my mother. The red hair, the green eyes, it was all her. Bucky had known her too. He'd been her bodyguard while she was pregnant. I read it in one of the files I found while hacking into Hydra. It's why he looked at me as if he remembered me. He could see her in me.

Would he always see my mother? Would he one day look at me and see me?

My anger swelled up, rolling through me like a wave of lava, bubbling and consuming every inch of me.

"Ahhhhhh!" I screamed, ramming my fist into the mirror, shattering it and embedding shards into my knuckles. "Shit, shit, shit." Holding my hand over the sink, I fished around for the towel.

"Effie?" Bucky asked, the urgency in his voice clear through the door.

"Fuck off," I snapped, blinking furiously through my tears. "I'm a fucking idiot," I whispered to myself. "Frankie, turn on the lenses and pull up Nat's number."

With her contact in front of me, I hissed out a message and wrapped my hand in the towel as I sent it.

 _Is it always hard to live with guys?_ – E

* * *

 **Thank you for reading xx**


	8. Chapter 8

**I've had the end of this chapter waiting for ages, but I didn't know what I was planning to write for the first half, though I knew where this chapter was going. I still feel meh about this chapter though.**

 **I'm not going to hold onto it for any longer though and am just going to post it. Sorry in advance for the crappy writing and the shitty spelling. I hope you enjoy it though.**

 **Love you 3,000.**

 **Comet96.**

* * *

Nat's reply was almost ten seconds after I sent her my text.

 _You get used to it._

What if I didn't want to get used to it? Had I made a mistake in allowing Bucky to keep me with him? Would I end up getting Stockholm Syndrome after spending more time with him?

 _If Barnes is remembering his past, he'll be in soldier mode._

Soldier mode. I knew what she meant by that. She always said that Steve was focused on the job and was respectful when he was in soldier mode. Calling it soldier mode just pissed off Steve.

Was I to expect that from Bucky? A soldier intent on finishing his mission. Wasn't that the Winter Soldier too?

Sighing, I pulled back the towel on my hand, flinching as the fabric pulled at my skin. The gash on my left hand was ugly, small pieces of the mirror sticking out of my knuckles. I have to say that I'm slightly impressed with how hard I hit the mirror. For it to cut into my knuckles it had to have some power.

"Effie, are you alright?" Bucky asked again through the door. I suppose I had to answer him. I wouldn't be able to clean this on my own.

Picking up the towel, I held it under my hand to collect my dripping blood and walked to the door, slamming it open.

"Look," I started, glaring up at him. "I need you to clean and stitch my hand. After that's done, we'll both go to sleep and in the morning we'll drive to a private airfield I know, and we'll fly to France to case the Hydra base." He slowly nodded his head, his hands reaching for my hand, but I stepped away from him. "No talking, Bucky, understand?" A sharp nod and he flung his arm to the bed where he had already set up the medical supplies.

I gave him another glare as I shuffled my way to the bed, huffing in annoyance.

What a prat.

* * *

I released a yawn as I rubbed my eyes trying to remember what had woken me. It was still dark in the room, so I assumed it was still night time. That, or they had blackout curtains in the motel, which I doubted.

" _Ma'am, Mr Barnes is experiencing a nightmare,_ " Frankie announced, causing me to jump at her voice.

"What?" I asked groggily before realising what she had said. Snapping my head to look at Bucky, I was shocked to see him thrashing in his bed. "Buck?" I whispered, hoping it would be enough to wake him.

Of course, it was just pathetic to think it would work. Shaking off my covers, I slowly got to my feet, not wanting him to wake up and be startled by my moving.

" _Ma'am, I suggest it's best to leave him to his nightmare._ "

"I can't do that, Frankie. It's horrible. He's in pain," I hissed at my AI as Bucky cried out in anguish, his body raising him his bed, his back arching. "I've got this covered." Grabbing a metal disk from the bedside table, I carefully made my way to Bucky.

The second my warm fingers brushed against his metal arm, Bucky was awake. His eyes snapped open, the sharp blue looked so cold and I knew then that this wasn't Bucky, but the Winter Soldier.

"Shit."

Three seconds it took him to have me pinned to the floor, his metal hand wrapped around my neck.

Maybe Frankie was right.

I should have left him.

"You're my mission," his hissed, his fingers tightening as his eyes locked with mine.

"Buck, you need to let go," I croaked out, wheezing as I spoke around the tightness of my throat. "Please."

"Your father asked me to keep you safe. Not to sleep with you." What? Tony had never asked him to keep me safe. And what did he mean to _sleep_ with me? I was the one that insisted we get two double beds.

"Bucky."

"Go back to your room Roseanne."

Holy Fuck.

He thought I was my mother. Did she sneak into his room to sleep with him? While she was pregnant with me?

Gross.

"I'm sorry," I croaked, moving my hand until the metal disk was pressed against his chest. "Sorry." I flinched as the electric current ran through him, making the metal of his fingers loosen up as he fell on top of me, knocked out.

" _It seems you have everything covered, Ma'am._ "

"Fuck off, Frankie," I whispered, struggling to move under Bucky. "You really need to lose some weight, buddy."

How was I going to be getting out of this one?

I could call the reception and ask for help, but the lady was already suspicious of us when we asked for two beds when it was obvious we were married.

Bucky started twitching, his face scrunching up in pain and I knew he was having another nightmare, even though he'd been electrocuted. Shuffling under him so I could lift my arm, I slowly ran my fingers through his hair, trying to soothe him.

"I went to the animal fare, the birds and the bees were there, the big baboon in the light of the moon was combing his auburn hair. The monkey fell out of his bunk and slid down the elephant's trunk. The elephant sneezed, and fell to his knees, but what became of the monkey, monkey, monkey, monkey?" I sang softly, hoping it would calm him down. Pepper always sang this song to me when I had nightmares.

Bucky tensed above me, a few words I couldn't understand muttered from his lips. I tried to move from under him so I could get him comfortable. If he was comfortable then maybe he'd be less likely to experience his nightmares.

"Don't be naive, Ethel," I grumbled to myself as I went over my thoughts. being comfortable had nothing to do with nightmares. "You're gonna freak when you wake up."

* * *

"What are we doing?" Bucky's voice cut through my sleep as his weight was lifted off me. I muttered some nonsense to him, bringing my legs up to my chest as I curled up on my side thankful that his weight wasn't on me anymore. "Effie? Why are we on the floor?"

"Nightmare," I grumbled, reaching up and pulling my blanket from the bed. "Time?" I asked out loud knowing either Frankie or Bucky would answer me.

" _It is currently 5:47 am, Ma'am_ ," Frankie replied her tone as professional as ever. " _Your flight leaves at 11:35 am. It takes two hours and sixteen minutes from here to the airport without traffic."_

"It's best that we start packing up," Bucky announced his shadow casting over me as he pulled my blanket away.

"No, no, no," I cried trying and failing to keep the blanket with me. "You're a meanie."

Even though I had my eyes closed I could see him rolling his at me.

"Ethel, get up and get dressed." He was stern and he reminded me of Steve. My heart ached a little at the thought of Steve.

"You're so grumpy," I muttered, climbing to my feet, waving my arms about as I tried to find my way around the room with my eyes closed.

I seriously wasn't looking forward to spending hours on end on a plan with him.

* * *

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The metal of Bucky's hand was starting to grate on my nerves. My hand twitched as if to hit him and I was distracted from his tapping by a stinging pain in my hand. Glancing down, I noticed a small drop of blood coming from one of my stitches.

I still regret punching the mirror in Canada in my anger. I would rather it was Bucky's face, it wouldn't have done as much damage.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"Would you stop that," I spat, finally having enough of his annoying habit. Who knew Bucky would have such annoying habits? I wouldn't have come on this little adventure with him if I had known.

"I didn't even realise I was doing it," he muttered his eyes on the building opposite the nice little coffeehouse we were sat inside.

"She's late," I muttered, glancing around the shop, taking a minute to look over the male barrister as he kept glancing at our table. I wanted to say it was because Bucky was intimidating, but the winks he kept sending me told me otherwise.

"Who's late?" Bucky asked, not bothering to take his eyes away from the window.

"Eva, she said she'd be in today at ten. It's now twenty-seven minutes past eleven and she's nowhere to be seen."

"Are you talking about that waitress?" He finally turned to face me, his eyes scrunched together in confusion.

"Of course, I'm talking about the waitress, and her name's Eva. She should have been here an hour and a half ago. I'm worried," I replied, sipping on my hot chocolate, grimacing at the bitter taste. Eva made a better hot chocolate than Adam.

"Maybe it's her day off," he replied, turning back to face the window. I rolled my eyes at him as I broke off a piece of croissant and threw it at him. "What?"

"Buck, nothing's going to change if you stop staring out the window. We've been in Paris for nine days now and we've done nothing but stake out that building and nothing's changed. You're making it too obvious that we're here," I told him, sneaking a quick glance at the said building, noting how it still looked the same.

"I recognize some of the men going in there," he muttered, his eyes following one man as he entered the opposite building. The building opposite us was posed as a law firm, but we both knew what it really was.

"Do you remember coming to this place before? Have you been to Paris?"

"No, I can't remember. I get flashes of the past, as you know, but I can't remember much." It must have been awful to not remember. At least Steve had the memories of his past. At least he remembered Bucky and Peggy. Bucky didn't have any of his past memories, he had had glimpses of people who'd tortured him and the people he killed.

"Bucky, things will get better. You've been writing everything down as I suggested?" After witnessing one of his nightmares, and how devastated he looked once he woke from it, I suggested he write everything down so he could make a log of everything he remembered.

"I have, I just don't —"

" _I am so sorry, Adam_ ," Eva said her French coming out strangled as she struggled to come in through the door as she juggled two bags and a buggy. Her daughter was sitting in the buggy, playing with a teddy bear as Eva slide through the door with effort.

" _You know you're not meant to bring her here_ ," Adam hissed, his eyes narrowing in on the baby. Eva clenched her jaw and darted her eyes to me.

" _My mum's coming to get her in an hour, but it's not my fault her father didn't pick her up. It's not like she's going to be a distraction, Adam. This place doesn't even fill up until one, she'll be gone by then_ ," Eva spat back, dropping the bags by a table and pushing the buggy next to it.

" _She'll distract you, Eva. We've got customers."_ He nodded toward us and Eva looked over as well, her eyes lighting up upon seeing us.

" _Ginny! Thank Christ you're here."_ She looked beyond happy that we were here, like always. It took me a moment to remember that I was going by Ginny to everyone besides Bucky and he was known as Harry. _"You don't mind watching Roseanna for me until my mum gets here, do you?"_

From the huge eyes of Bucky, I could tell that he wanted me to say no, but when I looked at Eva's begging eyes and then at Roseanna's chubby cheeks, I couldn't help but say yes.

" _We don't mind, do we, Honey?"_ I said in perfect French, looking to Bucky knowing he'd complain about this when we got back to our hotel room.

" _No, we don't_ ," he replied fluently in a stiff tone, setting his gaze back out the window as I pulled out my laptop. I might as well try getting a call to Robbie to see what he'd been working on lately. I also needed him to send my postcard to dad in a couple of weeks, to let him know that I was okay and to give him a hint of where I was at.

I thought it best to send dad on a little goose chase so he wouldn't accidentally end up finding me.

" _Here, I'll go heat her bottle up, but you can give her a cuddle while she waits."_ With a quick wave and a push of the buggy, Roseanna was in front of me, her wide eyes gazing up at me in fascination.

" _Heya, little one,"_ I cooed to her in her native tongue. I almost cringed at the baby voice I'd used. Even I had fallen into the pit of cuteness that was a baby. " _Let's get you out of there."_ I wasted no time in pulling her out of the buggy and into my arms. As I held her to my chest, I couldn't help but smell her hair, happy when I realised she had that lovely baby smell.

"Did you just sniff her?" Bucky asked, his nose scrunching up as I glanced at him.

"She smells good," I muttered shifting her in my arms as I typed in my password and quickly sent a call to Robbie. "It's a baby smell, they all have it."

"Holy, shit, you two work fast," exclaimed Robbie in a joking tone as he flickered on my screen, his eyes looking at the baby in my arms.

"Do you like the new addition of the Edwards family?" I asked, poking my tongue out to Bucky as he huffed in annoyance. Roseanna giggled in my arms, her sweet little cheeks glowing red.

"Where did you two get a baby?"

"It's not like we stole her or anything, Robbie. Her mom works at the café we're hanging at." I couldn't stop the smile as I caught Bucky muttering 'hanging' under his breath. He'd been nagging me about my language for the last nine days. He didn't approve of the 'slang' used in this era. "We're just watching her until Eva's mom can come to get her."

"That's good, I'm not sure how your pops would feel about you popping out a tyke with an assassin."

"Robbie don't be rude. Pops would love any grandchild he has, no matter their father." I glanced up to see Bucky staring intently at me, his blue eyes boring into my green ones. It was slightly awkward eye contact and I quickly glanced back at Robbie.

"You know I've got nothing against –"

I glanced up at the loud bang that cut Robbie off, jumping up at Adam stood screaming behind the counter, as Eva cried out in pain. Jumping up, I held Roseanna tightly to me before handing her over to a reluctant Bucky and rushed over to help.

" _What happened?"_ I asked almost forgetting to speak in French as I rushed around the counter, flinching at the large patch of red skin on Eva's hand.

" _The machine blew up on her_ ," Adam announced, stepping closer to me as I rushed to Eva's side.

" _Phone an ambulance and then call your boss. He needs to know about this. Eva, come run it under the tap,"_ I advised her, taking her elbow and leading her to the sink, running the cold water.

Eva cried out in pain as the cool water washed over her burn, but I could see the relief on her face.

" _Is Roseanna fine?"_ she said, trying to distract herself from the pain. I glanced over at her daughter and had to hold back my smile when I saw Bucky smelling her hair.

" _She's just fine, worry about yourself._ "

" _I'll be fine, Ginny, go see to my daughter,"_ Eva insisted, pushing me away with her other hand as she leaned against the sink. Giving her shoulder a firm squeeze, I slide from behind the counter and made my way over to Bucky.

"Did you just smell her?" I teased, slipping into my seat watching as he let Roseanna dribble over his sleeve.

"Shut up," he growled, shifting the baby on his lap.

"Can I hire you out? Get some extra euros, Nanny Bucky?" I was waiting for his reply but was only rewarded with a roll of his eyes. "I'm joking, Buck. It's nice to see you," I waved my hand at him as I thought of a word to fit him best, "normal. It's wonderful to see you looking content."

* * *

 **I hope you liked this chapter. I feel pretty shitty about it and want to apologize for it being shit. Sorry xx**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry, it's not very long. I've only just written this and I hope it will tide you all over until the next chapter. Pre-warning, it's a shit chapter but it's very Effie/Bucky orientated.**

 **Sorry for any mistakes xx**

* * *

When we got back to the apartment, Bucky went straight to the laptop set up in front of the balcony window. He settled down, pulling a can of Pepsi from the mini fridge next to the desk.

"Anything new?" I asked, knowing the answer would be no. Frankie would have updated me on anything new involving Hydra. It was something he needed to do to keep a peace of mind.

"No." Short, blunt and to the point. What was the point in wasting his breath when we both knew the answer?

"Do you want me to cook anything?" I asked receiving a shake of the head. He always got so closed off when he didn't find what he was looking for. I think he forgot that it wouldn't be easy hunting down Hydra. "I'll leave you to it then."

With one last glance at him, I made my way out of the living area and to the kitchen/diner. Dropping my bag on the counter I opened the fridge, pulling out a can of Dr. Pepper and made my way over to my grand piano.

Sometimes being Tony Stark's daughter had its advantages and being able to own a grand piano was one.

I fiddled about with a few random keys while I thought of something to play. Biting my bottom lip, I thought about Bucky and what type of music would be soothing for him. I'd tried to get him to listen to some classical when he slept wondering if it would help him, but he refused.

"Frankie can you get up the sheet music for Divenire," I asked tapping out the first few keys without the sheet music. Within seconds the notes where in my sight and I let the music wash over me.

I was aware that she'd also put on the violin cover in the background to go with my composing piece. A small smile grew on my face a minute into the song as it started to pick up. This was my favourite part of the song as it promised the gradual build-up and passion of the music.

As I continued to play I let the music lead my emotions and as it grew in elegance and power I thought of my dad and how I missed him. We may not have been the closest, but he was always looking out for me and he cared about me too much sometimes. Lying to him now and keeping my status hidden from him was ripping me apart and I wished I could just talk to him.

It was Tony that had introduced me to playing the piano. He told me that his mother had taught him, and he wanted to at least teach me something useful. It came to a surprise to him when it turned out I was a little musical progeny. Not that I wanted anything out of it. I didn't want to share it with the world. It was something special I had with Tony and later Pepper.

My musical brilliance along with my intellect and snarky attitude had been inherited from the Stark's.

My eyes, on the other hand, had been inherited by my mother along with the ginger hair. I also suppose some of my facial features had to come from her as well, but I couldn't help but hate the idea I took after her knowing she was Hydra.

"Roseanna played the piano," Bucky said interrupting my thoughts and causing me to mess up on the keys as I turned to face him, my nose turned up in distaste. I disliked it when he compared me to my mother.

"Did you sleep with my mother?" I asked, wanting to know ever since he mentioned it during his nightmare back in Canada.

Bucky frowned and stepped further into the room. His eyes were such a dark blue it looked as if there was a storm brewing. Had I made him angry? Usually, his eyes were a bright blue like the ocean.

"I never slept with your mother," he stated sounding almost robotic s he replied. The twisting in my stomach told me not to believe him, but why would he lie?

"Are you sure? Can you even remember?" I flinched after I said it, wishing I could take my words back, but the damage had already been done.

"She was my mission," he bit out, the muscles ticking in his jaw. "I was there to protect her during her pregnancy. I was protecting you."

Well, when he said it like that it put it in a whole different context. No, it really didn't. He could have still slept with her. I've seen the pictures of her in the Hydra folders, she was beautiful, ridiculously beautiful and it made sense why the sent her to try and bring in Tony. Even I could admit that he was a vain man and would not skip at a chance to sleep with someone like her.

"Just because you were there to protect her didn't mean you couldn't sleep with her," I snapped rising from the piano bench. "You said you couldn't sleep with her, but that doesn't mean that you didn't or that you didn't want to." Glancing carefully at his face, I placed my hands on my hips and frowned up at him. "Did you want to sleep with her?"

"No! She was just a mission! I don't get attached to missions and I certainly don't sleep with them!" he fired back, taking an intimidating step towards me. I could see his metal arm flexing with his anger and wondered if he'd wrap in around my throat.

"Does that mean you won't get attached to me? Am I still a mission to you, Bucky?" I yelled, blinking the tears away before they could fall. I was seriously not going to cry over him. it took a moment for me to realize what I had said and when I did I took a step away from him as my mouth dropped open and I struggled for words. "Let's forget I said that."

Turning away from him, I grabbed my can of Dr. Pepper and made a dash for my room. Muttering under my breath about my idiotic behaviour I threw myself on the bed, squealing when my soda went flying over me and my covers.

"I'm such a twat," I cried, letting the can drop to the floor and I let my tears mix with the soda.

"Look I don't know—" Bucky remained silent as the door hit the wall and I peeked at him through my finger seeing the amused look on his face. "What did you do?"

"It's none of your god damn business," I snapped, sending him the middle finger as I rolled off the bed, dragging the soaked sheets with me. Glaring at the floral pattern on the bedding as I stripped it I tried to ignore Bucky as he entered the room.

"Seeing as this is the only bed and you've been adamant we share; I think it's got a lot to do with me." He was being a smart arse and if I could have found a way to hit him I would have done it a hundred times over by now. "You can't ignore me forever, Ethel. What you said, I don't understand why you're so upset over it."

His eyes were back to the ocean blue now and I was left trying to figure out when I had looked at him again. From the raised eyebrows I knew he was waiting for a reply too. Did he really think I was going to tell him I might have found him attractive and was interested in possibly starting something with him in a romantic sense? The answer was no.

"Ethel—"

"Why do you call me that?" I cut him off as my irritation grew.

"It's your name."

"And you hate it when I call you James, which happens to be your name. Not _Bucky_ , which you don't seem to have a problem with." Why was I sounding like such a twat? A hormonal twat!

Jesus Christ, now I knew why. I was due on. I was totally PMSing right now and taking it all out on Bucky like a little psycho girlfriend.

"I'm sorry?" He muttered his face scrunching up as he waiting to see if it was the right thing to say.

"For Christ sake, Bucky, you shouldn't be apologizing for this. I'm fucking raging with crazy hormones and take it out on you, a poor, lost man that can't remember the majority of his past because he was brainwashed by an evil cooperation from the war. And now I'm rambling and you're freaking out because I've scared you. Don't deny it, I can see the wide-eyed, open-mouthed look you've got going on right now." I didn't mention that he was also slowly backing out of the room as if it would lead him to safety.

"I don't know what's happening," he mumbled as I threw myself back on the bed screaming into the mattress.

"It's a girl thing," I told him but what he heard was 'uuuagrummingggggg'.

" _Ma'am, I hate to interrupt your whining, but I've located a way to get into the Hydra base,_ " Frankie said, her voice echoing around the room. I groaned into the mattress once more before rolling over and looking at the ceiling.

"What do we have to do?"

* * *

I will never forget the day I saw James 'Bucky' Barnes walk into a nightclub in the red-light district in Paris. And thankfully because of my lenses, I was able to snap a picture of the horror on his face as the scantily clad women stumbled and danced around him.

"I get why you dressed like that now," he grumbled in my ear, bending down close so I could hear him. I tried to suppress the shiver that ran down my spine at the heat pressed against my back.

"Hey, I'm not dressed like any of these people!" I accused letting my eyes linger on one woman wearing a leather bra with matching leather booty shorts. I nodded to her as if proving my point.

Bucky had turned into my dad when I walked out of our room in a tight, black little dress and bright red heels. I'd managed to tame my curls and had thrown on a bit of make-up making sure my lipstick matched my heels but I was almost marched back into the room by Bucky when he mentioned how he hated my outfit.

"You look like every other woman here," he argued, nodding at a group of young girls wearing matching black dresses.

"That's the point, Bucky. I'm supposed to blend in, that way I can seduce this Andre dude and get us into the Hydra facility after you do your torture shit on him." I think that glass of wine I downed before coming here had hit the spot a little too well. I was totally not bothered by Bucky torture this guy at all.

"Maybe I should do it," Bucky said, his grip on my arm tightening as he swayed to the music, copying me and everyone else in the club. I snorted and turned to face him, letting our bodies rub together as we blended in.

"I don't think he's your type, Buck, or vice-versa. Plus, I'm sure everyone in Hydra will know your face."

"What if he recognizes you?"

"I'll be less noticeable than you, Buck. Oh, there he is." I watched as Andre stumble his way onto the dance floor. Ah, he'd already drunk a bit and was on his way to being sloshed. This should be easy. "I'll meet you out back in the alley," I told Bucky leaning up and pressing a kiss to his lips before dashing off to Andre.

On my first step away from Bucky I'd already had my plan to trap Andre. On my second step, I estimated it would take five minutes to meet Bucky in the alley. On my third step, I remembered Frankie had control over all the cameras so we wouldn't be seen. On my fourth step, I stopped dead on the spot and spun around to face Bucky, but he was already gone.

"Fucking hell!" I brought my fingers to my lips as I recalled kissing him.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. xx**


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